COFFEE and how to make it

[bob2131]

hi, (im in uk)

Ive always used Nescafe, but lately tried these bags, like tea bags, but ground coffee inside them. So its like making tea, but its coffee, nice proper coffee.

Now i dont want to go back to nescafe, as its cheap dried man made stuff?
It dont taste nice either, its just really strong.

But now my work collegue has shown me a pod.... it looks like a tea bag, but its got coffee inside....but we are drinking it without a pod machine......is this ok????

So i need to learn about these methods, ways to make coffee.
i think i need a coffee machine....but i dont want a machine that i have to wash up and takes ages to wash........as i only drink one cup of coffee in morning.

So....there is ground coffe which is powder form?
And there a pod method.......

Can someone explain the various machines available to buy and the various ways to make coffee, please.

Thankyou thankyou.

And the various milk substitutes.......i use coffee mate, its like powder cream........
when i use milk, i find i have to put in alot to make it whiter....which in turn makes it colder and less hot to drink, so you gotta microwave it.......
So i use coffee mate......anything else im missing?

[Lone Deranger]

All you really need is a nice cafetierre (french press) (http://www.base5designs.co.uk/images/cafetierre.jpg) a quaity burr grinder and a good selection of fresh roasted beans. Best way to make coffee in my opinion. :)

[bob2131]

All you really need is a nice cafetierre (french press) (http://www.base5designs.co.uk/images/cafetierre.jpg) a quaity burr grinder and a good selection of fresh roasted beans. Best way to make coffee in my opinion. :)

but you gotta clean that bad boy each time you use it?
Does that take powder form coffee or pods/bags?
burr grinder?
beans?

[iGary]

Keurig, FTW.

[bob2131]

Keurig, FTW.

people need to explain things rather than posting random words i aint got a clue what they mean.

[Lone Deranger]

A quick rinse under the tab is all it takes. You do have to make sure to warm it up a bit before you poor in the water though. Otherwise your brew will loose it's temperature.
You use loose ground coffee that has a coarser grind than expresso. That's what the grinder is for. A burr grinder has a special type of grinding mechanism that is argued to protect the beans from excessive heat during the grinding process yielding better tasting coffee.



but you gotta clean that bad boy each time you use it?
Does that take powder form coffee or pods/bags?
burr grinder?
beans?

[bob2131]

A quick rinse under the tab is all it takes. You do have to make sure to warm it up a bit before you poor in the water though. Otherwise your brew will loose it's temperature.
You use loose ground coffee that has a coarser ground than expresso. That's what the grinder is for. A burr grinder has a special type of grinding mechanism that is argued to prevent the beans from excessive heat during the grinding process yielding better tasting coffee.

mmm
so how many pieces of equipment do i need?
how long does it take to make the coffee?

(i bought a smoothie blender and i used it once, cause it takes half a day to make the juice, and another half a day to clean the thing.....no good)

[rdowns]

people need to explain things rather than posting random words i aint got a clue what they mean.

Keurig (http://www.keurig.com/), FTW!!

[Hawkeye411]

All you really need is a nice cafetierre (french press) (http://www.base5designs.co.uk/images/cafetierre.jpg) a quaity burr grinder and a good selection of fresh roasted beans. Best way to make coffee in my opinion. :)

+1 on the French press.

You can grind you own beans or buy them already ground.

1). Boil water
2). Put coffee in press
3). Pour water in press and give a little stir
4). Press coffee with plunger.
5). Pour coffee.
6). Rinse out press and give quick wash with a little soap and water and then rerinse
7). Drink coffee

Now if that's too much work you might want to consider Starbucks instead.
:D :D

[bob2131]

Keurig (http://www.keurig.com/), FTW!!

thanks.
So this company is the machine AND the coffee bags?
but say if i buy the machine......i can only use their own coffee??

[Abstract]

You can tell that this thread has been taken over by demis when a flood of Keurig recommendations start coming in. ;)


Also, I didn't know that coffee came in the form of bags that are similar to tea-bags.

[redwarrior]

Keurig (http://www.keurig.com/), FTW!!
They had one of those at the hospital my son was in. It was great. I had never seen anything like that before.:o No, I don't get out much.

[Toppa G's]

thanks.
So this company is the machine AND the coffee bags?
but say if i buy the machine......i can only use their own coffee??

They make the machine and sell the coffee "K-cups", which one can buy from any number of supermarkets and/or department stores.

You can buy an insert called "My K-cup" which is basically a little basket that allows you to use your own coffee grounds - I've got one, but haven't used it yet.

[rdowns]

There are dozens of web sites that sell the k-cups from dozens of different manufacturers.

I have a french press but I prefer this. No mess and no hassle.

[jessica.]

I believe the Keurig was put out by Green Mountain or there is some affiliation there. Though Green Mountain makes a decent cup suitable for prepping the belly for the stronger varieties, there are many other popular coffee makers out there that have k-cups. More are on board with Keurig than Tassimo or similar pod-type makers.

The cups, however, are not recyclable ... as stated by someone I know who apparently is annoyed at me for saying they are. I just think they need to STUF and drink more coffee.

[rdowns]

I just think they need to STUF and drink more coffee.

Too much caffeine today? :D

[Diseal3]

For the best coffee in the history of history click me gently. (http://www.tassimo.com/country_selector/)

[JBmac]

hi, (im in uk)

Ive always used Nescafe, but lately tried these bags, like tea bags, but ground coffee inside them. So its like making tea, but its coffee, nice proper coffee.

Now i dont want to go back to nescafe, as its cheap dried man made stuff?
It dont taste nice either, its just really strong.

But now my work collegue has shown me a pod.... it looks like a tea bag, but its got coffee inside....but we are drinking it without a pod machine......is this ok????

So i need to learn about these methods, ways to make coffee.
i think i need a coffee machine....but i dont want a machine that i have to wash up and takes ages to wash........as i only drink one cup of coffee in morning.

So....there is ground coffe which is powder form?
And there a pod method.......

Can someone explain the various machines available to buy and the various ways to make coffee, please.

Thankyou thankyou.

And the various milk substitutes.......i use coffee mate, its like powder cream........
when i use milk, i find i have to put in alot to make it whiter....which in turn makes it colder and less hot to drink, so you gotta microwave it.......
So i use coffee mate......anything else im missing?

I use a Breville Espresso machine, and make a "Cafe Breve" most of the time which is just an espresso shot with more water. About 3 ounces total.
Easy to prepare:
Prepare - add coffee/espresso grind to stainless steel pod and attach to espressor maker.
Brew - press the button and brew for 30 - 60 seconds.
Clean - Bang pod against metal container to dislodge grounds inside of container, rinse with water.

[mkrishnan]

I personally am impressed by neither Keurig nor Tassimo. I honestly think buying beans from a skilled roaster, even if they're ground en masse at the store and one uses a Mr. Coffee, produces better results. But they're certainly very convenient!

[bob2131]

this is still complicated to me.

I dont see the point in grinding my own beans if you can buy them already ground.

So the french press, doesnt really do anything apart from siv out the ground coffee, like a filter?
"Press"?

Do americans do all this coffee thing diff to UK people?

Im gonna have to check if my supermarket sells Keurig coffee bags. If they dont, then theres no point buying that machine.
But I DONT LIKE THE SOUND OF THIS....IF A COMPANY MAKES A MACHINE, WHY DO WE HAVE TO USE THEIR OWN BRANDED COFFEE??? SURELY THEIR STRENGHT IS IN EITHER MAKING MACHINES OR PRODUCING THE COFFEE....

So less hassle and mess with Keurig, compared to french press?

Nobody here has heard of the pod method i spoke of ????

[davidjearly]

So, Keurig or cafetierre?

EDIT: How about a poll on the best way to make coffee at home (economically)?

[mkrishnan]

Nobody here has heard of the pod method i spoke of ????

You're really trying everyone's patience. The Tassimo and Keurig systems are both variants of the pod approach... and both coffee makers have coffee pods / cups / discs / wetf made by various coffee companies.

[Surely]

I use a Breville Espresso machine, and make a "Cafe Breve" most of the time which is just an espresso shot with more water.

You're not making a Breve- you're making an Americano.

A Cafe Breve (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffè_breve) is made with espresso and half-and-half.

Will it taste wrong now? ;)


I've been hooked on making my own iced coffee lately. I just brew it a little stronger than regular, put it in the fridge, and a few hours later it's nice and refreshing.

I use a Mr. Coffee and I prefer medium-roasted beans. It really doesn't matter what kind of coffee maker you use if you're brewing regular coffee (espresso is a different story). The most important part is that the water gets spread evenly over the grinds- so make sure that the part where the water falls on the grinds looks like a shower head. All that's left is to use some filtered or spring water instead of tap water.

[mkrishnan]

A Cafe Breve (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffè_breve) is made with espresso and half-and-half.

I had a good friend in grad school who was obsessed with this drink. Isn't it excessively rich?

[Surely]

I had a good friend in grad school who was obsessed with this drink. Isn't it excessively rich?

So rich.... it's basically a latte made with half-and-half instead of milk. So much fat....... I would consider it a dessert!


/used to work at coffee shops.

[mkrishnan]

So rich.... it's basically a latte made with half-and-half instead of milk. So much fat....... I would consider it a dessert!

See I love sweets... but I don't care for the fat in drinks much. I prefer a peppermint or caramel mocha made with skim milk and no whipped cream (which has a lot of sugar but not much fat) in terms of taste, all calorie concerns aside.

[bob2131]

jbmac, thanks, but i dont wanna be drinking espressos at home....
does espresso have the same effect in body, as normal coffee???
or do espressos hit the blood stream faster and make you more happier? compared to a slower drinking normal coffeeee..

Pod method uses tea bags...but coffee bags.......

sorry... im just trying to understand this area a bit more, and make a good purchase.
Thanks.

[Surely]

See I love sweets... but I don't care for the fat in drinks much. I prefer a peppermint or caramel mocha made with skim milk and no whipped cream (which has a lot of sugar but not much fat) in terms of taste, all calorie concerns aside.

Same here. I usually stick with 2% milk because I think it tastes less watery than skim. I really like Vanilla Lattes and Caramel Machiattos.

Calories schmalories I say. :D

But in the end, I'm a regular, medium-roast, coffee guy, with a little milk and sugar.

I'm just fixed myself an iced coffee and am enjoying it as I type this.

[bob2131]

Same here. I usually stick with 2% milk because I think it tastes less watery than skim. I really like Vanilla Lattes and Caramel Machiattos.

Calories schmalories I say. :D

But in the end, I'm a regular, medium-roast, coffee guy, with a little milk and sugar.

I'm just fixed myself an iced coffee and am enjoying it as I type this.

dude, whats the iced coffee?
just make as normal and put in fridge?
you drink it cold..?

[pivo6]

To the OP. If you want a good tasting cup of coffee, then you're going to have to spend a little time making it. I haven't had the chance to try the Keurig machines, but I have tried coffee from a Senseo (http://www.senseo.com/content/default.html) pod, and it doesn't taste very good at all.

In my opinion, getting the freshest beans you can find, will make a good cup of coffee, whether you use a french press or a drip maker.

[Surely]

dude, whats the iced coffee?
just make as normal and put in fridge?
you drink it cold..?

I said what it is above. But to keep you from scrolling.....

I just brew it a little stronger than regular, put it in the fridge, and a few hours later it's nice and refreshing.

I drink it with a little milk, sugar and a few ice cubes.

And, yes, I drink it cold. It's like iced tea.... but it's coffee.

[oscillatewildly]

Get a couple of single cup filters - plastic with gold plated filter, a Bialetti Moka Express Stove Top Coffee Maker, and a coffee grinder - with grain size selector.

Coffee - a week to a month's worth of beans - keep in the freezer and grind as required.

Maybe start by using the Bialetti on weekend mornings and the filter the rest of the time.

Read somewhere - water boiled, coffee spoiled, ie boiling water for tea and just off the boil for coffee.

Cheers,
OW

[Surely]

Coffee - a week to a month's worth of beans - keep in the freezer and grind as required.


Coffee beans DO NOT belong in the freezer. It ruins them.

[pivo6]

I had iced coffee at a restaurant a while ago that was made with fresh brewed coffee, poured into a glass filled with ice and condensed milk. Wonderful.

[iPhoneNYC]

First, I don't like any of those pod systems because the coffee is stale. The ground was weeks or months ago. I prefer simple Melitta. Buy fresh roast coffee, either grind at store for a week supply or grind at home. Put in filter. Use water that has rested after boil. Tannin comes out at 212 degrees, won't be there at 206 - so just wait a minute or so. Pour - great coffee.

[oscillatewildly]

Surely,

Not my experience, obviously you have found otherwise.

Cheers,
OW

[gauchogolfer]

Here's a couple of websites that aren't for the faint of heart:

coffeegeek.com -> relatively mild
home-barista.com -> super-obsessed espresso-philes.

I think the best coffee you'll get right now is buying an Aeropress. You don't need an expensive grinder to get good results, and it make a very smooth Americano for me to drink while I'm Cafiza-ing my NS Oscar. ;)

Just promise promise promise to buy beans that you know are fresh. I don't mean beans with a 'use by' date on them, but beans roasted within the last week. It will make more difference than anything else you can do.

[Melrose]

Am I the only one who thinks those coffee pods aren't all dat? I think they taste stale and thin.

I make mine using a Vigano (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001IHY622/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=304485901&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000BYCQKC&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1SDVEK6KGB2NY4XRA9SC) and I try to grind the beans fresh in the morning. I use either light cream or half and half.. Okay, call me a coffee snob, but if you want good quality stuff make it yourself and do it right. Coffee ain't the type of thing you just slap together. :rolleyes:

[oscillatewildly]

bob2131 - missed that you are in the UK - As a start, there might be a Whittard of Chelsea near you -

http://www.whittard.co.uk

Cheers,
OW

[bob2131]

ive opened a can of worms

Espresso makers JUST make espresso?

What is a filter? Single cup filter?

So i can get a coffee grinder, which simply grinds?
So this would be a separate machine from the french press/pod machine?

this is very complicated.

Im just gonna shop in supermarkets, so thats it.

I see no one is using nescafe?
IS THIS THREAD FULL OF AMERICAN PEOPLE OR BRITISH???

So what shall i buy????
why do we need to grind if we can buy ground coffee already in packs????

I THINK I like the sound of french press........

ground coffee is simply grinded down coffee beans into powder form???


UK
Argos and asda is all i am going to use.....

[Abstract]

I think you should read the thread again and see what you can learn from it.



This is one of those threads where the OP asks questions page after page, and will never be able to produce a cup of coffee at home. These threads usually lead to ridicule later. ;)

[bob2131]

I think you should read the thread again and see what you can learn from it.



This is one of those threads where the OP asks questions page after page, and will never be able to produce a cup of coffee at home. These threads usually lead to ridicule later. ;)

lol
this is the thread i have been looking for forever.
Keep it going...

i ask questions because people miss them out or assume i know what they are talking about.

seems like this thread is USA exclusive....... UK coffee making is different.

[Hawkeye411]

jbmac, thanks, but i dont wanna be drinking espressos at home....
does espresso have the same effect in body, as normal coffee???
or do espressos hit the blood stream faster and make you more happier? compared to a slower drinking normal coffeeee..

Pod method uses tea bags...but coffee bags.......

sorry... im just trying to understand this area a bit more, and make a good purchase.
Thanks.

Sometimes a really good, strong espresso will make the hair on my head tingle .... mmmm mmm good :)

[Surely]

seems like this thread is USA exclusive....... UK coffee making is different.

How's is UK coffee making different? Are the physics different in your kitchens?

Nescafe isn't coffee. It's freeze-dried brewed coffee crystals.

If Nescafe is coffee, then so is Coffee Crisp.


"How do you like your coffee?"

"I like my coffee crisp."

[dmr727]

Okay, the Keurig machine is great. I have one, and use it all the time. But if you're a crazy one-pot-a-day coffee drinking mofo like me, using the Keurig to satisfy your coffee needs is like wiping your butt with hundred dollar bills. You might as well develop a cocaine habit while you're at it.

Do like me - be able to drink the most bargain basement crap imaginable, and then appreciate the good stuff when you're fortunate enough for it to come along. That way your coffee bases are covered.

[JBmac]

jbmac, thanks, but i dont wanna be drinking espressos at home....
does espresso have the same effect in body, as normal coffee???
or do espressos hit the blood stream faster and make you more happier? compared to a slower drinking normal coffeeee..

Pod method uses tea bags...but coffee bags.......

sorry... im just trying to understand this area a bit more, and make a good purchase.
Thanks.

Good question, I like a shot of espresso in my coffee, or in Starbucks terms, a "Redeye". I like the taste, the jolt of caffein, the aftertaste, and yes in your terms it hits the blood stream faster and makes me happier.
But at home I just usually drink watered down espresso, or Cafe Americano (I stand corrected, thanks Surely) which comes out to about 4-5 ounces a serving with the xtra water, and cream. I either use Espresso, Italian, or French roast coffee ground for the espresso maker. I don't use pods, the espresso maker uses little round washable, and reusable stainless steel containers that you fill with the espresso grounds, put the container with the grounds into the handle that attaches to the espresso machine, and push the start button. You can see I am using shot glasses in the original photo I submitted, but now I use a little 6 oz coffee mug instead. It's so easy to make fresh Cafe Americano on demand, that I make 4-5 of them as needed in the morning, instead of a pot of coffee.

[bob2131]

hawkey = lol

surely = lol
i dont know how uk and usa coffee making is diff....im asking here how... but i think it is differently made.......

Ive been drinking nescafe for YEARS...god i wish i knew before.... im not drinking it no more, only as last resort....

But i gotta say, 2 spoons + of nescafe is HARD CORE, as when i make this for visitors, they cant take it...they say its too much... (this is how i drink it)

I guess nescafe is like one of the orginals, and early advertising on TV got into my head that this is what coffee is.....

dmr727 = LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!
so youre saying that Keuring is expensive?
Im only one cup a day coffee man....

Southern california? cool....


JBmac = can we make espressos WITHOUT using an espresso machine??
I only have large coffees with double esspressos in them on holdiday...
hell, i only drink espressos on holiday or when travelling....
When in Rome and all that.....

FOR TASTE, TEA IS BETTER....SO I CAN DRINK TEA IN DAY...
BUT COFFEE IN MORNING....I DONT KNOW WHY, BUT COFFEE TASTES SO GOOD IN MORNING....BUT TASTES NOT SO GOOD IN DAY.....



Nobody is talking about MILK, OR COFFEEMATE, OR CREAMER ETC ETC....

I find brown sugar is better with coffee. Demerera.

[JBmac]

JBmac = can we make espressos WITHOUT using an espresso machine??
I only have large coffees with double esspressos in them on holdiday...
hell, i only drink espressos on holiday or when travelling....
When in Rome and all that.....

FOR TASTE, TEA IS BETTER....SO I CAN DRINK TEA IN DAY...
BUT COFFEE IN MORNING....I DONT KNOW WHY, BUT COFFEE TASTES SO GOOD IN MORNING....BUT TASTES NOT SO GOOD IN DAY.....



Nobody is talking about MILK, OR COFFEEMATE, OR CREAMER ETC ETC....

I find brown sugar is better with coffee. Demerera.

I guess with a French Press you could, but I'm stuck on my Breveille Espresso machine. For brewing coffee at home I use a Bodum Santos electric Vacume coffee maker. Makes the best pot of coffee ever. I don't think they make or sell the electric one anymore though, just the one you have to brew on top of a stove.
And I use half n' half in my coffee or espresso.

[steviem]

OP, Have you only just discovered coffee?!

Anyway, I have used a keurig, when I went over to New York it was alright, about the same as the nescafe/krups one here, but I have never seen one in the UK. What I would suggest is a cheapish espresso machine with a milk steamer. Go to cafe Nero and watch how they make their lattes. It is really simple. A shot of espresso, then filled with steamed up milk. Easy.

I also have a Nescafe/Krups Dulce Gusto machine, but the pods are £5 for 8 drinks, so a little steep for my liking, and making your own is a little more effort than instant, but more rewarding. Although Carte Noir is really nice instant coffee.

So my recommendation (as someone in the UK).

-Argos (even Tesco/Asda) cheap option: Cheap espresso machine with steamer - £30, then some illy Espresso coffee grounds.
-Argos expensive option: Krups Dolce Gusto - £80
-Asda/Tesco cheapest/easiest yet still nice option: Carte Noir

Hope that makes things a little easier.

[bob2131]

I guess with a French Press you could, but I'm stuck on my Breveille Espresso machine. For brewing coffee at home I use a Bodum Santos electric Vacume coffee maker. Makes the best pot of coffee ever. I don't think they make or sell the electric one anymore though, just the one you have to brew on top of a stove.
And I use half n' half in my coffee or espresso.

dude whats half and half?

[blurredline]

I can't believe this thread hasn't turned into grammar and spelling control for the OP.

In other news, I buy pre-ground up, pre-packaged, months old Folgers, Maxwell, etc. I hate it and this thread has inspired me to go out and get a decent coffee machine now and a seperate grinder so I can have some great fresh coffee. Thanks all!

[bob2131]

OP, Have you only just discovered coffee?!

Anyway, I have used a keurig, when I went over to New York it was alright, about the same as the nescafe/krups one here, but I have never seen one in the UK. What I would suggest is a cheapish espresso machine with a milk steamer. Go to cafe Nero and watch how they make their lattes. It is really simple. A shot of espresso, then filled with steamed up milk. Easy.

I also have a Nescafe/Krups Dulce Gusto machine, but the pods are £5 for 8 drinks, so a little steep for my liking, and making your own is a little more effort than instant, but more rewarding. Although Carte Noir is really nice instant coffee.

So my recommendation (as someone in the UK).

-Argos (even Tesco/Asda) cheap option: Cheap espresso machine with steamer - £30, then some illy Espresso coffee grounds.
-Argos expensive option: Krups Dolce Gusto - £80
-Asda/Tesco cheapest/easiest yet still nice option: Carte Noir

Hope that makes things a little easier.

lol
no ive been drinking it for just over 5 years.
I started with nescafe, drinking one pint of it.
Stayed up all night, shaking my legs.
I only tried it to see what all the fuss was about...eg watching movies etc...everyone seemed to be drinking or talking about coffee. ...david lynch too was an influence..... so i drank black coffee for a while like lynch.

yeah Keugei (damn i cant spell that) seems to be an american thing...

Milk steamer ? (this thread just gets more and more in depth)

Dude i dont drink lates....what are lates? i always thought they were fore WEAK people who couldnt handle REAL coffee. is this true?

I started drinking coffee for the AFFECT...but NOW i wanna balance of TASTE and AFFECT.....

I wanna drink coffee like winston wolf drinks coffee in pulp fiction at the end, you know????? they say its expensive gourmet stuff......

man, all coffee is expensive, nescafe too.
Instant coffee is like nescafe ? (sorry i ask alot of q;s)

but dude, espresso machine ONLY makes espressos?? i dont wanna be drinking espressos at home.....
dude whats a steamer?

Carte Noir = how do i make that? do i need a machine for that??

Yes thankyou, to you, and everyone else here. Keep it going. I will be re-reading this thread alot over time....

[NoSmokingBandit]

this is still complicated to me.

I dont see the point in grinding my own beans if you can buy them already ground.


:eek:

Grinding beans yourself is always better. I have a tiny blade grinder similar to this (http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Coffee-Chrome-Blade-Grinder/dp/B00005OTYH/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1245720735&sr=1-2) but a different brand. I grind my beans on pot at a time. The longer beans sit in the air after being ground, the worse they taste, even if you keep them in an airtight container. I work at a dinner theater and the girls that make the coffee often open up the packets of grounds and leave them sit out int he open for up to an hour before they brew it and the coffee tastes like the inside of my ass. The freshest ingredients always make the best food/drink.

The French Press is recommended by a lot of people because it doesnt use a paper filter. Paper filters extract alot of the natural oils from the grounds and dont allow for a full natural flavor.

Burr grinders, though expensive, grind coffee much more uniformly. With a blade its difficult to get a consistent coarse grind, which is essential if you dont want to burn the grounds.

I've used a Keurig several times. I wasnt impressed, but i also wasnt disappointed. Its just what you would expect from a one-cup coffee maker. Not great, but good enough.

If you use sugar i would insist you buy raw sugar. Its not bleached and processed as much as white sugar and has a much better flavor, imo. Its tan/brown and its very coarse:
http://www.blazinghotwok.com/uploaded_images/washedrawsugar-784381.jpg
You can find it at any supermarket.

I've recently started buying Celestial Seasonings Morning Thunder (http://www.celestialseasoningscoffee.com/coffees/morning-thunder.html) beans. They are just wonderful, much better than any NesCafe junk. They are organic too, so you can feel like a hippy for the day. :D

[bob2131]

:eek:

Grinding beans yourself is always better. I have a tiny blade grinder similar to this (http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Coffee-Chrome-Blade-Grinder/dp/B00005OTYH/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1245720735&sr=1-2) but a different brand. I grind my beans on pot at a time. The longer beans sit in the air after being ground, the worse they taste, even if you keep them in an airtight container. I work at a dinner theater and the girls that make the coffee often open up the packets of grounds and leave them sit out int he open for up to an hour before they brew it and the coffee tastes like the inside of my ass. The freshest ingredients always make the best food/drink.

The French Press is recommended by a lot of people because it doesnt use a paper filter. Paper filters extract alot of the natural oils from the grounds and dont allow for a full natural flavor.

Burr grinders, though expensive, grind coffee much more uniformly. With a blade its difficult to get a consistent coarse grind, which is essential if you dont want to burn the grounds.

I've used a Keurig several times. I wasnt impressed, but i also wasnt disappointed. Its just what you would expect from a one-cup coffee maker. Not great, but good enough.

If you use sugar i would insist you buy raw sugar. Its not bleached and processed as much as white sugar and has a much better flavor, imo. Its tan/brown and its very coarse:
http://www.blazinghotwok.com/uploaded_images/washedrawsugar-784381.jpg
You can find it at any supermarket.

I've recently started buying Celestial Seasonings Morning Thunder (http://www.celestialseasoningscoffee.com/coffees/morning-thunder.html) beans. They are just wonderful, much better than any NesCafe junk. They are organic too, so you can feel like a hippy for the day. :D

lol

thats great info about grinding : "The longer beans sit in the air after being ground, the worse they taste, even if you keep them in an airtight container"

so thats why people prefer doing their own grinding?
So do we buy these coffee beans from the same supermarket which sells nescafe etc?

I guess this is why the coffee "tea" bags i buy, are properly foiled up...to keep the freshness in as much as possible...

Yeah i think im liking the french press method......but i dont wanna start grinding just yet.... ill work my way up to wards that.....
so the grinder is always a separte machine from the french press or other machine.?

yes i use brown sugar, demererra....
i need to re-read your post, thanks.

[JoeG4]

Imma be honest and post an opinion that will likely come across as very unpopular, here goes:

The majority of the posts in this thread sound like people that have so much money they have no idea WTH to do with it, so they go buying stuff that makes them feel important.

I mean, look at the responses - it goes on almost like a Linux forum. If they found a stone beater + cup in Rome and some scientist declared it was for making coffee, I wouldn't put it past you guys to pay $100+ for a replica to "make coffee the way it's supposed to be!"

You can get those manual coffee press things at target on clearance for ~$5, if that's what you really want. At the end of the day, whether you use the included beans and throw them in your Mr Coffee, or hand-grind them with a $50 grinder and press them in a $50 french press, you'll probably not be able to tell the difference.

I don't think electric drip coffee makers get hot enough to "burn" the coffee lol :D

And yes, Folgers and nescafe, are.. coffee.

*imagines some Audi driving person in Seattle with a faux european accent fuming with anger at that last sentence*

[Abstract]

No, I'm a student, don't have a great deal of money (though I don't claim to be poor), and yet I can tell the difference between good and bad coffee. It's very easy.


I can't believe you think someone would need to be a snob to tell the difference.

[bob2131]

Im a poor ba****d

Drinking a coffee is the highlight of my day in morning. I wanna do it right.

[NoSmokingBandit]

thats great info about grinding : "The longer beans sit in the air after being ground, the worse they taste, even if you keep them in an airtight container"

I should clarify that a little. The first few pots are going to taste fine, but then as the container starts to have more air in it as you empty it the grounds will start to lose flavor. Every time you open the container you are replacing the air with fresh, which has more of an impact as the container starts to have a higher air/grounds ratio.

so thats why people prefer doing their own grinding?
So do we buy these coffee beans from the same supermarket which sells nescafe etc?
Supermarket beans are fine unless you are really picky (i am :D ). Grab a bag of maxwell house beans and if you dont have a grinder at least grind them at the store instead of buying pre-ground beans.


I guess this is why the coffee "tea" bags i buy, are properly foiled up...to keep the freshness in as much as possible...

You bet. Tea leaves arent affected by the air as much as coffee beans, so they dont need fancy little wrappers. Im not sure why, but coffee is really fickle like that.



Yeah i think im liking the french press method......but i dont wanna start grinding just yet.... ill work my way up to wards that.....
so the grinder is always a separte machine from the french press or other machine.?

Much like brewing the coffee, there are many different ways to grind it, so grinders and brewers are generally separate machines. You can grab a cheap french press and blade grinder for about $20-30 total if you hunt for a bargain. No need to buy anything really fancy if you are just starting out, you will learn what flavors you like as time goes on.
If you find that a drip brewer works better for you try to find one that has the little mesh filters built in. Good ones actually have a metal mesh similar to the filters used by french presses. Although a bit harder to clean, these dont absorb the oils i mentioned before and save you from spending money of filters every month.

Theres a lot more to brewing a perfect cup than most people will ever know, but once you taste a smooth, bold cup you will never look at a starbucks again. Just take it slow, learn each step as you get to it, and you'll be making great coffee in no time. Nothing impresses a guest more than bringing them an amazing cup of coffee at the end of their meal or with dessert. Its the last thing they will have before they leave and the flavor will always stay in their mind.

edit:
@JoeG4,
Water only gets so hot (100* C), and pretty much every coffee maker brews close to this temp. The burning doesnt come from the heat alone, but the constant heat. Its like putting an egg on a hot pan. It wont burn right away, but if you leave it long enough you are going to have a pan of black, crispy eggs. The same applies to coffee. French presses are less likely to burn because you arent constantly introducing new heat, like a drip does. A drip is running ~95*C water through the coffee for 10 minutes or so, but a french press puts ~95*C water in the coffee and slowly cools down ad the coffee brews, like throwing an egg on a pan and then removing it from the stove. Sure most people wont notice or even care, but if you are picky its important to spend a few more dollars/minutes and enjoying the finer things in life. This is after all the Mac forums, people here love spending more money on things.

[OutThere]

Keurig, FTW.

Keurig saved my GPA while writing two 25 page papers for school recently. 12 K-Cups downed between 2am and 6am. :D My college has Keurig machines in common areas and free k-cups...usually 6 or 8 varieties.


As far as making just plain old coffee goes.....for a basic, good cup(s) of coffee I'd just get a Mr. Coffee for like $30 (or £ if you want), buy beans and put them through the grinder at the super market, keep them in the fridge. It will make lots of coffee quickly and without complaint. Hard to beat and cheap.

http://www.thefunkstore.com/TheGypsyMart/StartUp/Outp-MrCoffeeMaker3599.jpg

Personally I think next good step to take towards making the coffee taste good would be to start with good tasting water...if your water tastes like chlorine it certainly won't make good tasting coffee.

Espresso is an entirely different story...but for your brewed morning coffee you don't need anything complicated or expensive to do better than Nescafe. This is coming from someone who has worked at cafés and used a $12,000(!) Nuova Simonelli machine every day for quite some time :)

[yojitani]

The best way to brew coffee in my opinion is not through a machine. Gently pour hot water (not boiling, I try about 1 minute after the kettle boils) over the ground coffee in a drip. I have to say though that if you use pre-ground coffee, the drip method does not make much difference. I use a machine most days just because it's easy.

There are lots of different coffees out there. You need to experiment with them to really get a sense of what you like. Try to avoid special blends (like Starbucks' Christmas blend), they are usually crap.

[mgguy]

God, now I can't wait until tomorrow morning to have a cup of coarse-ground dark french roast coffee made in my Bodum french press coffee maker. I would have it now, but would be up all night from the caffeine. But then again, I may lay awake all night anyway thinking about having it in the morning. Heading to the kitchen now ...

[lord patton]

+1 for coffeegeek.com

When my wedding-present Krups "espresso"/coffee machine died, I decided I wanted a real espresso machine. Coffeegeek was indispensable for my research. They cover everything... grinders, espresso, french press, stovetop, drip.

I *lot* of folks there insist that the grinder is the most important part. I was floored to find out they consider $250 the minimum to spend on a grinder.

FWIW, I found a refurbished Baratza Virtuoso burr grinder on ebay for $130. I also got a used Gaggia Classic espresso machine for a little over $200. Not cheap, but they were really good deals. For under $350 I got a set-up that should last forever if I take care of it, and makes great espresso... it helps that I use my 2-year old's organic whole milk for the latte!

[iVeBeenDrinkin']

I have to put my vote in for great beans, and a French Press.

[steviem]

Its this american dairy product which is 50% whole milk and 50% cream mixed together.

[Designer Dale]

Midnight Seattle time and three pages on how to make coffee. If we keep this up, we will all need a good shot of espresso when we realize that we need to be at work/school in an hour or so...

Water is defiantly a concern for good coffee. I let a pitcher of water stand overnight before I use it for coffee. It lets all of the chemicals-at least the chlorine-evaporate out.

I read an article about a local roaster here and the guy was obsessed about the grinder. It had to be a burr grinder, those blade grinders leave a mix of different sized grinds that mess up the taste...

Like I said, Seattle...

The region that the beans are grown in is a big factor for me. I like the deep taste of beans grown in volcanic soil so African and Sumatra beans taste best to me.

Presses are cool things. I learned to drink good coffee when I lived in Boston in the 70s at a shop that used presses. The water was always at 180 degrees F. Perfect... Sounds like I was living at a coffee shop.

Someone here referred to espresso as a bit of a drug experience, and I agree.

Man, I need to shut up and go to bed. Night, all...

Dale

[Fizzoid]

So my recommendation (as someone in the UK).

-Argos (even Tesco/Asda) cheap option: Cheap espresso machine with steamer - £30, then some illy Espresso coffee grounds.
-Argos expensive option: Krups Dolce Gusto - £80
-Asda/Tesco cheapest/easiest yet still nice option: Carte Noir

Hope that makes things a little easier.

I'd suggest as a cheap option buying a Bodum french press\cafetiere. You can pick on up from TK Maxx for around £5 (size dependant). Then just go buy some ground coffee and see how you go. If you find it's not for you, you've only wasted £5.
If you get into coffee more, and want a more expensive option, I can't recommend the Gaggia Classic enough. RRP is £270 but it's not made anymore, and you can pick ex demo or refurb machines up for under £200. It's primarily an espresso machine, but will take pods which I do use when I want to make a coffee quickly. Several of my coffee loving friends have tried coffee from my Gaggia and said it's the smoothest coffee they've ever had. To make it extra smooth, I use Brita filtered water, not just to make it smoother, but to help prevent it scaling up as well.

[oscillatewildly]

Single cup filter and Bialetti

[annk]

I've been using a Vesuviana for the last 20 years. My Dad bought it in the late 50's, I think. :D

http://www.mcaughtry.com/images/DSCF0011.JPG

[Fizzoid]

I've been using a Vesuviana for the last 20 years. My Dad bought it in the late 50's, I think. :D

http://www.mcaughtry.com/images/DSCF0011.JPG Looks like it should belong in a lab somewhere! :)

[teleromeo]

Did anyone mention the cone filters made by melitta (http://www.melitta.com) ? It's the cheapest way to make the best cup of coffee. You can use them in a coffee maker or pour boiling water onto the coffee. Makes very good coffee.

[iPhoneNYC]

About ground coffee: go to a store or supermarket that sells a lot of coffee. In the US it could be Whole Foods or here in NY a places like Fairway or Zabars where they have great prices on excellent coffee. Beans that sit around get stale. Grind that sits around gets stale. So if you have the store grind it for you get enough for a week or at the most two weeks. Keep it in the frig but not the freezer. All of the above is why those pre-filled pods taste bad to me. There hasn't been much mention as to the coffee blends themselves here. Find something that you really like as there are scores of bean types and roast types. My preference is a 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 blend of Mocha Java, Columbia and French Roast. I use Melitta filters as they are simple and can make a great cup of coffee without some super duper machine.

[AppleMatt]

seems like this thread is USA exclusive....... UK coffee making is different.

QFT. Brilliant.

AppleMatt

[covisio]

UK coffee making is different.
Speak for yourself.
I reside in the UK. I bought a manual coffee grinder and started grinding my own beans about 12 years ago. This was a bit tiresome (I don't think the grinder was a very good one). I changed to an electric grinder about 10 years ago.
My morning routine is this:
1. Put kettle on and boil. A modern kettle with 1 cup's worth of water should take less than a minute to boil
2. Warm cafetiere with some hot water from the tap
3. Grind one scoop of Colombian beans in the electric grinder - not for very long - you are looking for a texture/consistency similar to loose earth
4. Tip ground coffee into cafetiere and pour on boiled water (a previous poster was right. Wait a couple of seconds until the boiling has properly subsided)
5. Leave to brew for 5 minutes. Many people, including cafetiere manufacturers, recommend stirring before plunging, but I never do, I prefer it unstirred. Make your toast, warm your croissant, whatever.
6. Plunge and pour
The whole process takes about 7 minutes. After you're done, rinse out the cafetiere and the job is done.
It's really no effort and the little bit of ritual sets off the morning in the right way.:)
P.S. Oh, as far as money is concerned - a single-cup Bodum cafetiere costs about £7 or £8 and will last for ever and never needs filters. A bag of 'Finest' Colombian beans from Tesco, about £2.50 and good for about 25-30 cups. 10p per cup of very nice coffee.

[Melrose]

My use of 'Coffee Snob' is a pet term. It has nothing to do with social status, cultural mores, taboos, religious standing, age, hair colour, toenail length, etc etc. :D

Sometimes I use the word snob to denote someone who can tell the difference between good (expensive) quality and bad (poor). Though, I admit, price doesn't always effect either one.

Just sayin'

[theITGuy]

The perfect combo:

Saeco Automatic machine and Peets French Roast whole beans...

Cheers.

-J.-

[Surely]

^^^^^^ holy dark roast! Peet's just tastes like they way over-roast their coffee to me. I just can't get into dark roast coffee. Not that it's bad.... it's just not for me.

Their espresso drinks, on the other hand, are great.



I'm sitting here, sipping my morning coffee, relaxing, and trying to figure out what to do today...... ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[theITGuy]

From a former canuck...I like your taste in coffee as displayed by your mug :D

Cheers.

-J.-

[Silencio]

Bodum makes a single cup French press "insert": it's basically a French press without the little carafe, you just stick the thing in your coffee mug, let it brew for 4 minutes, push the plunger, and pull the insert out of the mug, leaving you with a nice mug o'coffee.

Drip coffee seems to not really exist in Europe. It probably does at Starbucks, but I'm not going into a Starbucks when I'm in Europe -- I thought the whole point of traveling was to experience something different from your usual day-to-day existence.

I'm kind of missing the cafe con leches in Madrid. I'm normally not a big milk-in-my-coffee kind of guy, but those were tasty.

I had a hard time finding really good coffee in the Netherlands, which seems to be dominated by coffee pod machines (similar to the Keurig) that make a little cup of not-quite-drip-coffee, not-quite-espresso with a odd little crema on the top. When in Amsterdam, coffee geeks should head straight to a shop called Kaldi in the Nine Streets (IIRC) area.

[Lone Deranger]

Sounds like the OP is a bit lazy and needs a little Anime styled robot that makes coffee for him.
Do they exist you ask?? Ofcourse they do in Japan! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejROvUC-gWU) :eek:

Gotta love the Japanese! They invent to coolest stuff!! :D

[bob2131]

Woke up this morning thinking about this thread and my daily first coffee.
I wanted a french press.

Went to asda last night, didnt see any Keurig products/bags.

Nosmokingbandit = Im impressed with your knowledge. Thats some advanced level info there.

OutThere = in uk we dont have grinders at the supermarket....and i doubt we have mrcoffee either. About the water, we have no choice do we? we just use tap water.
Once its bolied, the germs etc are killed so its ok....


BREW A COFFEE?
WHAT DOES BREW MEAN?

in a drip? whats a drip?

Mgguy = did you have it last night? lol...drinking coffee or coke before bed is bad news. You aint gonna sleep buddy, well, unless you havnet slept in 2 days.


Alll this extra prep for making coffees like this, is good, as i need to do exercise/stretches in morning so while the coffee is gettting prepared i can use this time to stretch...perfect....


French Press would not include a grinding mechanism in teh same machine??

50 50 sounds good, but as i said, americans and uk are two different things... i dont think we have half and half....in uk....all he have is coffeemate

TO ALL MY UK PEOPLE:
WHY DO WE ONLY HAVE COFFEEMATE?????? THERE IS NO OTHER CHOICE????
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF COFFEEMATE STOPPED BEING MADE??? THERE IS NOTHING LIKE THAT.........

Coffeemate is underground isnt it? Nobody apart from me seems to use or know about it.......

"I let a pitcher of water stand overnight before I use it for coffee. It lets all of the chemicals-at least the chlorine-evaporate out."......dude!!!! but chemicals germs get killed with boil anyway...

180 degrees F......ok
so what is boiling point temperature??

DO ESPRESSOS USE THE SAME GROUND COFFEE WE USE FOR MAKING NORMAL DRINKING COFFEE????

FIZZOID = good idea... i prefer argos though, i literally live next door....
french press is the same thing as cafetiere, right?? Yeah that seems like what i need , a french press and some ground coffee......

PODS ARE NOT A GREAT STEP UP FROM NESCAFE, ARE THEY??

But pods are ground coffee i think.
Nescafe is what? Instant coffee?? Carte noire is also like nescafe? freeze dried ?

QFT?

AHHH brew means just leave it to do its thang...

Covisio = that sounds great... thats what im gonna do....
this looks perfect:
http://www.bodum.co.uk/pages/products/productshow.asp?vFamID=10&famSubId=1001&rid=1748&idv=0
a one cup thing.....

so all these machines, are simple to grind? as the french press is not a machine mechanism is it??
french press does not require electricity does it??

Surely = lol "I'm sitting here, sipping my morning coffee, relaxing, and trying to figure out what to do today...... ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh" .. and in L.A? man, thats my dream life...

Silencio = that bodum insert sounds good also...im on the bodum website now......cant find it thou...but i like the bodum products....one cup presses, perfect....
Amsterdam is a great place....

What is Drip coffee?

Lone deranger = lol..that looks a little creepy!




so people, do you use milk? what else you got? all we have is mike or coffeemate....coffeemate doesnt look too healthy...man made stuff powdered....



http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bodum-Travel-Mug-French-Press-Brand-New_W0QQitemZ330339084881QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_3?hash=item4ce9be6a51&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1683%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

cant find a single cup bodum press on ebay...

these?
http://www.bodum.com/b2c/index.asp?shpId=4&id=10945-464&famId=10&famSubId=1001
what is 1.01? does that mean one cup??

3 cup bodum seems to be the smallest size? do they do single cups? or shall i just get 3 cup model?
as i guess my big mug could be 2 cups in reallity...and 1 cup surplus could be useful for seconds.........right?
SO 3 CUP MODEL IS THE ONE YEAH?

[yojitani]

so people, do you use milk? what else you got? all we have is mike or coffeemate....coffeemate doesnt look too healthy...man made stuff powdered....


I don't use milk unless I'm drinking instant. Coffeemate is nasty stuff - avoid at all costs. You can use any milk you like. I know some people who swear by Soy Milk (yes, in their coffee!). I think cream or a full fat milk is considered the best. Still, black, no sugar is the way to enjoy the flavor of coffee IMHO

[mgguy]

Bob2131 -

Dude, you are having some serious coffee overdose, as evidenced by your last post. That said, I like your enthusiasm with this topic and the questions you are raising. The ultimate outcome of it all will be more information on how to brew a better cup of coffee, not to mention the entertaining reading of the posts here. Thanks.

BTW, no, I didn't have that cup of coffee last night, but thanks for asking. I had an important business meeting the following morning and didn't want to risk not sleeping all night. But I made up for it this morning with a hot cup of french pressed. It cleared my head and provided a jolt of energy that is always sorely lacking for me first thing out of bed.

[theLimit]

For my everyday coffee needs, I use a little four-cup drip coffee maker (http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Coffee-4-Cup-Switch-Coffeemaker/dp/B000066BG4) (four 4 oz cups, which is a little over two standard coffee mugs), and a can of Folger's (http://www.amazon.com/Folgers-Ground-Coffeehouse-31-5-Ounce-Canisters/dp/B000UYJG2E). I usually drink it black, but I sometimes like it with Coffee Mate (http://www.amazon.com/NES30152-Carnation-Coffee-Mate-Non-Dairy-Creamer/dp/B0016P243O/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1245818285&sr=8-9) and Splenda (http://www.amazon.com/Splenda-Sweetener-Granular-Individual-700-Count/dp/B000I6JPQQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1245818328&sr=8-1). Makes a way better cup of coffee than anything from Starbuck's.

There are better tasting methods, but they all require time/patience/money that I don't have to spare. If I want a really good cup of coffee, I'll go out for it. Like to Tim Hortons as another poster showed. I'm in the U.S.A. by the way, and I usually have two cups in the morning and one in the evening.

[jamesgregory24]

I'd rather buy Starbucks. LOL!

[Fizzoid]

French Press would not include a grinding mechanism in teh same machine??

180 degrees F......ok
so what is boiling point temperature??

DO ESPRESSOS USE THE SAME GROUND COFFEE WE USE FOR MAKING NORMAL DRINKING COFFEE????

FIZZOID = good idea... i prefer argos though, i literally live next door....
french press is the same thing as cafetiere, right?? Yeah that seems like what i need , a french press and some ground coffee......
so all these machines, are simple to grind? as the french press is not a machine mechanism is it??
french press does not require electricity does it??



To answer your questions:
212 degrees F
Espresso coffee is generally a darker, stronger roast. You probably wouldn't want to drink a regular sized coffee using espresso beans, otherwise your caps lock would be permanently on ;) An 'Americano' is (depending on size) a shot of espresso topped up with hot water.
I suggested TK Maxx as I know they do quite a range of Bodum products, and as I currently work for Argos, I try and avoid there ;)
French press\cafetiere isn't electric, no. It's basically a manual filter\plunger mechanism

[covisio]

Covisio = that sounds great... thats what im gonna do....
this looks perfect:
http://www.bodum.co.uk/pages/products/productshow.asp?vFamID=10&famSubId=1001&rid=1748&idv=0
a one cup thing.....

so all these machines, are simple to grind? as the french press is not a machine mechanism is it??
french press does not require electricity does it??

You want the 0.35 litre size Bodum Brazil. However many cups they say it makes, it makes a decent sized mug. 0.35 litre = a bit bigger than a can of Coke.
You need to buy an electric grinder, of course. I use a Krups F203 bladed grinder. Still available for about £20, the design hasn't changed in 10 years plus. Mine still going strong. Okay, it's bladed but it seems to grind well and evenly. Just don't over-grind, too fine and you'll ruin the coffee.

[chhhrrriiisss]

I work at Tim Hortons and we just open a bag, pour into brew basket and hit start..

At home I use keurig machine. Which reminds me it's been calling me since I woke up.

[-hh]

this is still complicated to me.

I dont see the point in grinding my own beans if you can buy them already ground.

The basic rule of thumb is "the fresher the coffee, the better". Since Coffee has to be ground to be used, buying pre-ground coffee is a trade-off between convenience and "freshness" (Quality.

However, the problem with this is that the "fresher the better" rule also applies to the roasting of the coffee too. The pickiest coffee epicurians will want the beans to be both freshly roasted and freshly ground. The good news here is that if you're not too anal-retentive, plain old ground coffee from the supermarket can make an acceptable cup.

So the french press, doesnt really do anything apart from siv out the ground coffee, like a filter?

Yes. What I noticed that was missed from those otherwise very good instructions was that the "WAIT" step was missing.

Which brings us to an important point that you can appreciate from a UK perspective: in the big picture, imaking coffee is (more or less) just like making a cup of tea: there's a few important factors for making a good cup, and there's always people who can take it to an extreme to make the "best" cup.


Im gonna have to check if my supermarket sells Keurig coffee bags. If they dont, then theres no point buying that machine.
But I DONT LIKE THE SOUND OF THIS....IF A COMPANY MAKES A MACHINE, WHY DO WE HAVE TO USE THEIR OWN BRANDED COFFEE??? SURELY THEIR STRENGHT IS IN EITHER MAKING MACHINES OR PRODUCING THE COFFEE....

So less hassle and mess with Keurig, compared to french press?

There's a couple of companies that make "pod" based coffeemakers ... as you point out, there is the question of if they're a coffeemaker company first and a coffee roaster second, or vice versa. Nearly regardless of which "Pod" company you're considering, the basics are that you're conciously making a trade-off: to get a system that is (slightly) less messy and makes a reasonably reliable cup of brew (and also for 'fancy' stuff)...you're willing to spend more per cup.


jbmac, thanks, but i dont wanna be drinking espressos at home....

An expresso machine can be a dangerous hobby :-)


Am I the only one who thinks those coffee pods aren't all dat? I think they taste stale and thin.

Their plain coffee is frequently pretty plain. Perhaps its because the plain stuff has been sitting around for months and isn't particularly fresh. However, another factor here is that most pre-packaged flavored coffees are merely be a means to an end in that these additives serve to cover up cheap coffee beans. Ditto for darker roasts too ... the sin of Starbucks.

Okay, call me a coffee snob, but if you want good quality stuff make it yourself and do it right. Coffee ain't the type of thing you just slap together. :rolleyes:

Actually, its not really all that hard, since there really aren't all that many variables. Assuming a good bean, good roast and correct grind, its just:


water temperature
time of exposure to the water
ratio of coffee to water


...which if you think about it, really isn't all that profoundly different from brewing tea.


ive opened a can of worms

Espresso makers JUST make espresso?

In simplest terms, an espresso maker is a fancy way of passing hot water through a bunch of ground coffee in a single pass. Specifically, it does this under pressure, and because of this and that its a single pass, the grind is very very fine, so it makes for a higher concentration level.

What is a filter? Single cup filter?

In simplest terms, its some sort of mechanism that prevents you from having coffee grinds in your cup of coffee. If you're only making one or two cups at a time, you probably will find a reusable filter to be preferrable to a paper filter that has to be disposed of after each use.

For example, in a french press, the "press" portion contains the metal screen which acts as the filter. After you've poured the coffee out of your press into your coffee cup, you have to then clean the press afterwords. For the most part, this means to let it cool, then take it to the kitchen sink, pull the plunger out and give it a freshwater rinse...in most households, the used coffee grounds can safely be washed down the drain (some people claim that they help keep your drains clear of grease).

YMMV if you then want to toss the french press through your automated dishwasher. I have two single-cup serve french presses, both of which are dishwasher-safe.

I THINK I like the sound of french press........

I think that's a decent place to start: its a simple device and for a single serve, quite inexpensive. Pretty much the only other equipment that you need to get started is a way to boil water (I use a glass measuring cup in the microwave), a measuring spoon (eg, 1 tablespoon), some ground coffee ... and standard supermarket pre-ground is a fine way to start ... and then a coffee cup or mug and if you choose, some sugar/milk/etc.

ground coffee is simply grinded down coffee beans into powder form???

Yes, but there's different sizes of grinds which are optimized for the coffee-making method that you're using. For example, espresso is very fine, while 'standard' (drip, percolator, press) is more coarse. From a process standpoint, the size of the grind matters in two basic ways:
1) the finer the grind, the smaller particulate that you're asking your filter to capture (filter out)
2) the finer the grind, the less time you need to have it exposed to the water to create a particular concentration or strength.

On this second point, this is again where coffee has parallels to making tea: if you want to make a stronger cup, you need to steep it for longer. However, with some coffee methods being "single pass" (eg, espresso, drip), since the coffee only gets one chance, it takes this understanding to then adjust the coffee's strength to your liking.

For example, the coffee pot in the office makes it stronger than I personally like, so I just add some plain water to my coffee cup. Of course, some coffee purists will consider this to be sacrilege.


I'd rather buy Starbucks. LOL!

YMMV. If I'm paying extra for the convenience of someone making a cup of coffee for me, as a general rule of thumb, I'll avoid Starbucks.

Part of the reason why they're selling so many "Candy" based coffees these days is because they've gone to a dark roast (that IMNSHO is indistinguishable from charcoal briquettes) in order to cover-up the cheap, low quality coffee that they're now selling. I have a neighbor who works for the company through which I get pounds upon pounds of free Starbucks whole bean. I grind it up and literally give it away...and quietly continue buy my coffee from Hans & Marsha (http://www.mangosunset.com/100-Percent-Organic-Practices-Kona-Coffee.html) without telling them, as I don't want to hurt my neighbor's feelings. If you want to actually taste the coffee, you shouldn't tolerate anything darker than a medium roast .. and if you're drinking for the caffeine kick, you also want to avoid darker roasts.


-hh

[yetanotherdave]

This thread is making me look at coffee machines, I can't afford one, just bought a Time Capsule yesterday!!!

OP, I used to drink nescafe, now, for instant coffee I use the blue Kenco, it's still instant crap, but it's 10x nicer than nescafe.
When I want a treat, I use a cafetiere and usually Dowe Egberts coffee (the square vacumm sealed packs in supermarkets, they cost about £2-4 depending on brand. Once opened I keep it in a clasp sealed jar (about £1 from ikea, airtight like this one http://img1.photographersdirect.com/img/20975/wm/pd1205464.jpg ) to keep it relatively fresh. All of this is available in any UK supermarket!

[Surely]

YMMV. If I'm paying extra for the convenience of someone making a cup of coffee for me, as a general rule of thumb, I'll avoid Starbucks.

Part of the reason why they're selling so many "Candy" based coffees these days is because they've gone to a dark roast (that IMNSHO is indistinguishable from charcoal briquettes) in order to cover-up the cheap, low quality coffee that they're now selling. I have a neighbor who works for the company through which I get pounds upon pounds of free Starbucks whole bean. I grind it up and literally give it away...and quietly continue buy my coffee from Hans & Marsha (http://www.mangosunset.com/100-Percent-Organic-Practices-Kona-Coffee.html) without telling them, as I don't want to hurt my neighbor's feelings. If you want to actually taste the coffee, you shouldn't tolerate anything darker than a medium roast .. and if you're drinking for the caffeine kick, you also want to avoid darker roasts.
-hh

I think the poster was referring to Starbucks whole beans, not the "candy"-based coffees you are talking about. However, to further disagree with your point, those candy based coffees aren't based on their brewed coffee, they are based on pulled espresso shots (which are typically very dark roasted). Plus, not all of their frothed milk and espresso drinks are sweet. Those sweet drinks do well because people like sweet things. It has nothing to do with your dark roast theory- it's more to do with the giant profit margins on those latte-style drinks.

I do agree that most of the whole beans that Starbucks sells are over-roasted. However, there are a select few that are roasted quite well. Plus, they do sell some organic and free-trade beans.

I'm not trying to defend Starbucks and their corporate practices (and I don't think that this thread should be hijacked to discuss them), I just feel like you're being a tad unfair regarding the quality of their coffee. Their beans aren't all cheap- they can just sell it for cheaper because they sell such high volume (like Walmart, Target, Ikea, Amazon, etc.). It doesn't necessarily mean that the quality is poor.

I buy medium roasts from Starbucks. I can taste the subtle coffee flavors in these coffees. I am currently enjoying some Guatemala Antigua, which is quite nice.

Ask your neighbor to grab you something that is medium roasted. Try the Guatemala. But definitely NOT Pike's Place- that stuff is just awful. Also, there is a possibility that the beans they're giving him are expired or about to expire.

[pb1300]

The best iced coffee!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4QY180dSq4


Im sure my fellow European posters have had a frappe, but if you havent, you are missing out!

[-hh]

I think the poster was referring to Starbucks whole beans, not the "candy"-based coffees you are talking about.

Fair enough - I can also see that interpretation. Unfortunately, I've yet to find a Starbucks bean that I enjoy at home in my own Espresso machine.

However, to further disagree with your point, those candy based coffees aren't based on their brewed coffee, they are based on pulled espresso shots (which are typically very dark roasted). Plus, not all of their frothed milk and espresso drinks are sweet. Those sweet drinks do well because people like sweet things. It has nothing to do with your dark roast theory- it's more to do with the giant profit margins on those latte-style drinks.

Agree that it has to do with the profits. Locally, its very rare to see anyone who's merely getting a plain old coffee...their sales are overwhelmingly some espresso based variant that's often in excess of $5.

I do agree that most of the whole beans that Starbucks sells are over-roasted. However, there are a select few that are roasted quite well....I am currently enjoying some Guatemala Antigua, which is quite nice....But definitely NOT Pike's Place- that stuff is just awful.

I had been fairly benignly "live and let live" on Starbucks until some Pike's Peak back in December. Not only was it horrid tasting, but the bag was figuratively half full of broken beans and other miscellaneous scraps which thoroughly messed up my grinder.

Also, there is a possibility that the beans they're giving (me) are expired or about to expire.

The stuff I've been getting was still in virgin vac-pac, so I've honestly not paid any particular attention to expiration date. I know that I have at least one unopened bag still around, which I'll take a look at tonight; I'm just finishing up some Lavazza "Super Crema" which was a pleasingly light roast...now I know why I enjoy the cafes in Rome so much! :-)


-hh

[Melrose]

Fair enough - I can also see that interpretation. Unfortunately, I've yet to find a Starbucks bean that I enjoy at home in my own Espresso machine.

I drink their French Roast and Sumatra. Around here, there ain't many places you can get fresh coffee. Whole bean is at times even hard to get.

[TheShinyMac]

thanks.
So this company is the machine AND the coffee bags?
but say if i buy the machine......i can only use their own coffee??

Kinda like apple...........................








let the flaming begin:eek:

[OutThere]

OutThere = in uk we dont have grinders at the supermarket....and i doubt we have mrcoffee either. About the water, we have no choice do we? we just use tap water.
Once its bolied, the germs etc are killed so its ok....


So you can buy preground coffee at the store, or get a cheap blade grinder (like a short blender). No real need for a burr grinder which will be expensive. And I guarantee you that you can buy a Mr Coffee equivalent in the UK, even if they don't have the particular brand.

While there's definitely some good advice in this thread I think most of it is more complicated and expensive than what you really want to do. As for the water....if it tastes funny coming out of the tap you can use a Brita or Pur filter to make it taste better. It's not germs so much as chlorine and other stuff that make it taste bad.

[gauchogolfer]

To the OP. Here's the easiest way for you to get a decent cup of 'coffee' with little work (the way you seem to want it).

http://www.senseo.co.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

[blackfox]

For the warmer months I recommend:

1. A strong or espresso blend.
2. Condensed Milk.
3. Ice.

Stir all together and chill. Super strong and sweet - will definitely get you going. Sometimes known as vietnamese coffee.

[SactoGuy18]

If you want good coffee relatively uncomplicated, go with either a French press or a stovetop vacuum pot. While I love coffee made with an espresso machine using one and maintaining it is a bit of a nightmare for newbies.

[bob2131]

what a thread......

Im finding whole fat milk makes the coffee more white with less milk, in comparison to semi skimmed.
Im getting exited now for the bodum press.

Brew just means to let it sit in water?

So espresso beans are diff to regualr coffee beans?

Yes im not going argos now, dont like their stuff.
Bodum website her i come.

"French press\cafetiere isn't electric, no. It's basically a manual filter\plunger mechanism".

ABOUT STRENGTH AND TASTE
Is this correct?:
- if you want stronger coffee, you use MORE coffee
.........so whats this about the wait time, brew time, does this just affect the taste? and nothing to do with strenth?

With Tea, the longer we leave the tea bag in the hot water and sqeeze it around with a spoon, the stronger the tea is.........

When i used to make nescafe, i used to use around one and half spoons of coffee (strong) (one cup) ....but now im using the ground coffee "tea bags"...im finding the TASTE MUCH BETTER...but i find myself having two cups....maybe thats cause one is not strong enough? .....

strength of caffienne is in the volume of coffee and not the waiting time??

-hh = im impressed and greatful for that in depth response. So i boil the water in a kettle, and let the water cool down for a few seconds before making the coffee?

"the grind is very very fine, so it makes for a higher concentration level."
So the more finer the coffee is grounded, the more like an espresso is the effect/result?

Microwave to boil water? I thought hob was always the recommended and safe way to heat water to be drunk...? Kettle is what i use..electric kettle.....

So course ground coffee = normal coffee
Finely grinded coffee = espresso

I dont think i wanna drink instant coffee ever again.
Instant coffee is just that stuff you add water to and youre ready to drink?

Shinymac = Yes you are right!!! Apple are like Keurig (sic)

SOMEONE NEEDS TO FIND ONE OR TWO OF THE CORRECT WAYS TO MAKE COFFEE WITH FRENCH PRESS ON YOUTUBE AND POST LINK HERE.
IVE JUST SEEN SOME BAD ONES.
or if anyone wants to film a short vid of how they make their coffee and youtube it, that would be good too.

[Dagless]

I wanna drink coffee like winston wolf drinks coffee in pulp fiction at the end, you know????? they say its expensive gourmet stuff......

As soon as I hit this bit I remembered back to an old thread ;) http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=654507

Just an observation is all.

But on topic we have a Senseo, though I rarely ever drink coffee (used to when I worked at a pub). But I think I'm sensitive to caffeine so I don't have it often at all.

[RedTomato]

Well, UK poster here. (for a change!)

I've never seen anyone in the UK have a pod-based coffee maker (Tassimo / Keurig) in their kitchen. Remember UK kitchens are much smaller, and we don't have such a fetish of electronic kitchen gadets.

I only know one guy with an expresso machine in his kitchen, and he's from the USA anyway.

Almost never seen drip-based coffee sold in UK cafes.

Most most MOST people drink instant coffee at home and work. The usual crap. Nescafe or whatever.

Older people will make filter coffee at home, using a plastic thing that sits on top of your cup, with a paper filter in it. That's the only thing we have room for in our kitchens.

http://tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:4NaqcEf73u3SsM:http://images.surlatable.com/surlatable/images/en_US//local/products/detail/340.jpg

Did I mention we have small kitchens? UK fridges only have one door on them, and they're not walk-in style. Often, they will fit under the counter, about the same size as a washing machine or cooker. And yes, our washing machines and cookers are smaller too.

Some people use cafetieres at home:
http://tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:4KNpv0anKFPm6M:http://www.heals.co.uk/content/ebiz/heals/invt/bodumchambordcafetiere/bodumchambordcafetiere_m.jpg

They're quite common, but tend to stay at the back of the kitchen cupboard. (It's easier to make an instant.) We don't call them French Presses. That sounds slightly rude here - kinda like a French Letter :)

Argos just put a notice on their website saying they don't sell cafeteries :) Woolworths had some nice ones, but they've gone bust now. You could try just going up and down the shops on your local high street. Local mixed-goods shops will have them (any shop that sells pots and pans will do).

I have a one-cup one which I use most, and a 3 cup one that is a bit too big for my kitchen (yes like most english people, I have a tiny kitchen) but I use it when friends come over. (the girlfriend doesn't drink coffee, but she likes the smell of it.)

My spanish and italian friends don't trust the English way of making coffee and will bring this

http://tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:mVaNSk5PW40A3M:http://openclipart.org/people/pipo/pipo_italian_coffee_maker.png

with them and guard it with their lives. I don't really know the name of it in English. It opens into three compartments. Coffee goes in the smallest one, in the middle, water in the bottom, and the whole thing goes on the stove top, hob or gas ring. Water boils in the bottom and steam goes through the coffee and into the top. Damn nice.

Putting decent coffee in whatever machine you use is important but not to get obsessive about it. Just get the most expensive of whatever your supermarket has. Generally about £5-£7 for 500 grams and will last a long time. I always drink fair trade or organic. No need to support slavery with your daily drink.

If you are in London, Monmouths do the best coffee beans. http://www.monmouthcoffee.co.uk/ I often see their beans in other hippy shops.

My father drinks his cofffee the old fashioned way - a big handful of ground coffee shaken into his cup, pour boiling water on, wait 30 seconds and drink. No milk or sugar. Blimey. I always pour mine with milk first then coffee second. Tastes smoother to me. No sugar. Sometimes honey.

[Surely]

strength of caffienne is in the volume of coffee and not the waiting time??



Strength of caffeine depends on the roast:

The lighter the roast, the MORE caffeine there is in the coffee.

The darker the roast, the LESS caffeine there is in the coffee.

Yes, I know that seems backwards to most people, but it's true. The reason is simple: The longer the coffee beans are roasted, the more caffeine is burned off of the beans.

If you want a coffee with a higher caffeine content, drink lighter roast coffees.

The exception (I guess) is espresso. Espresso is high in caffeine because of the way it is, well, brewed. The espresso is ground very finely and packed tight into the filter area, and hot water is forced through it at high pressure. Because of this, the espresso shot that is pulled has a higher level of caffeine in it compared to if you were to brew the same coffee grinds in a normal drip brewer.

Of course, the more grinds that you put into the filter when you brew coffee, the stronger tasting it will be and, yes, it will have more caffeine in it as well.

[-hh]

Brew just means to let it sit in water?

In some coffee-making methods, sure. The French Press is a literal "sit in the hot water", whereas a percolator typically cycles the water through the coffee grounds (acting like a drip) and runs for a fixed time...the longer it perks, the stronger the coffee will get. For drip and espresso, the water only gets a single pass through, so the brew cycle is typically much shorter.


So espresso beans are diff to regualr coffee beans?

The actual beans, absolutely not.
How dark the roast, maybe. Some people say yes, others no.
How the beans are ground, yes. (Espresso = fine grind)


ABOUT STRENGTH AND TASTE
Is this correct?:
- if you want stronger coffee, you use MORE coffee
.........so whats this about the wait time, brew time, does this just affect the taste? and nothing to do with strenth?

With Tea, the longer we leave the tea bag in the hot water and sqeeze it around with a spoon, the stronger the tea is.........

Stronger coffee comes from getting more "stuff" out of the ground bean dissolved into the water. From a basic chemistry standpoint, you either use more coffee surface area or more time of exposure. On brewing methods where you can't easily increase the time, this means that you either use more coffee...or a finer grind. If you're buying pre-ground, you can't change the grind size, so you simply use more.

For taste, there's a lot of things you can read about how to not brew a coffee that tastes bitter.

When i used to make nescafe, i used to use around one and half spoons of coffee (strong) (one cup) ....but now im using the ground coffee "tea bags"...im finding the TASTE MUCH BETTER...but i find myself having two cups....maybe thats cause one is not strong enough? .....

IMO, probably not. You're probably having more because it tastes better.

strength of caffienne is in the volume of coffee and not the waiting time??

How much caffeine is in a cup is a function of how much was in the bean and then how strongly it was brewed. As Surely noted, the darker the roast, the more of the caffeine chemical is destroyed before you even grind it or brew. You can compensate some by then brewing a stronger cup, but you might not like the stronger taste.

-hh = im impressed and greatful for that in depth response. So i boil the water in a kettle, and let the water cool down for a few seconds before making the coffee?

for a French Press, this is pretty much the process. Take the now-hot water and fill up the Press..best to have your ground coffee already in it. I usually then insert the plunger and push it down just enough to make sure that all the grounds get submerged so that they'll be wet and do their chemical transfer thing. Watch & wait until you think its the right color...maybe move the plunger partially down & up to help stir...and then push it down all the way and pour off the coffee into your mug/cup. In general, you don't want to let the coffee continue to sit in the press because it will continue to be in contact with the grounds and thus will continue to brew (to some degree).

FWIW, for other types of coffee makers, you typically just use room temperature water and the machine has a built-in heating element.

"the grind is very very fine, so it makes for a higher concentration level."
So the more finer the coffee is grounded, the more like an espresso is the effect/result?

Yeah, I think that that's a reasonable conclusion. However, do be aware that non-espresso systems aren't really set up to deal with really fine grinds, so their filters are likely to clog up and cause mischief.

Microwave to boil water? I thought hob was always the recommended and safe way to heat water to be drunk...? Kettle is what i use..electric kettle.....

(hob = ??) I simply use the microwave because it is quick, easy and minimal mess...I don't use teakettles because our local water supply has an incredibly high calcium level ... my Mom's kettle would accumulate around a 1/2" of scale buildup every ~6 months, and it was one of my chores to take a knife and try to knock chunks loose before we would give it a good vinegar soak. It continues to give me headaches with my espresso machine.

So course ground coffee = normal coffee
Finely grinded coffee = espresso

Correct.


I dont think i wanna drink instant coffee ever again.
Instant coffee is just that stuff you add water to and youre ready to drink?

And that's the slippery slope you run into once you've learned to appreciate a really good cup of coffee. The good news is that a brewing method such as a French Press hardly takes any more time than instant, and it tastes appreciably better.


-hh

[Fizzoid]

Well, UK poster here. (for a change!)

I've never seen anyone in the UK have a pod-based coffee maker (Tassimo / Keurig) in their kitchen. Remember UK kitchens are much smaller, and we don't have such a fetish of electronic kitchen gadets.

I only know one guy with an expresso machine in his kitchen, and he's from the USA anyway.

Almost never seen drip-based coffee sold in UK cafes.

Most most MOST people drink instant coffee at home and work. The usual crap. Nescafe or whatever.

Older people will make filter coffee at home, using a plastic thing that sits on top of your cup, with a paper filter in it. That's the only thing we have room for in our kitchens.

Sorry, but I disagree. Pretty much everyone I know has some sort of coffee machine in their kitchen (even one guy who doesn't like coffee) whether it be espresso, filter or bean to cup machine. I guess you don't go in many home accessory stores, otherwise you'd notice most, if not all, sell a wide range of coffee machines, as they've become ever more popular over the past 10 or so years.
As for coffee at work, every office I've worked in has had some alternative to instant coffee, whether it be a bean to cup or filter machine, or in one case a Costa coffee shop downstairs

[covisio]

Some people use cafetieres at home:
They're quite common, but tend to stay at the back of the kitchen cupboard.

Exactly how many UK homes do you go into and monitor their coffee making methods:confused:

People are over-complicating it for the poor OP. Just get down to a decent sized Tesco, they will have everything you need at a reasonable price (with the possible exception of the grinder).

[RedTomato]

various stuff

Guess it depends on your friends - are they home-owners or renters, do you live in the city or suburban, and your job history - in established companies with nice offices or in struggling startups / charities with cheap offices?

As you can guess, I'm in the lower money categories :cool:

[Fizzoid]

Guess it depends on your friends - are they home-owners or renters, do you live in the city or suburban, and your job history - in established companies with nice offices or in struggling startups / charities with cheap offices?
Both, both and both :)

[eldy]

You guys are doing it wrong.

Here is the correct procedure:

1. You tell a woman to get you some coffee.
2. You drink the coffee.

[dmr727]

^^^ must not be all that great with the ladies, huh? :)

[bob2131]

You guys are doing it wrong.

Here is the correct procedure:

1. You tell a woman to get you some coffee.
2. You drink the coffee.

lol
ive tried it, doesnt work, ONLY I CAN MAKE MY COFFEE, as i change the volume of sugar or milk or coffeemate or coffee amount depending on how i feel at the time....i gotta prepare my own coffee...its too important to let it get messed up as im grumpy in the morning anyway...

(ill reply more to others later on)

[killerrobot]

I prefer using a french press with all kinds of roasts.
It makes your interact more with the coffee.
It creates a great aroma, and the wait time creates an anticipation.

As far as the caffeine issue goes with dark roasts versus light roasts, it's an argument that has two sides. If going by weight, dark roasts have more caffeine than light roasts (because they have less water moisture from longer roasting and therefore take more beans to weigh the same), but by volume light roasts have more.
(http://www.roastmagazine.com/backissues/janfeb2005/caffeinecontrol.html)

Espresso, is a term for coffee beans that are always a darker roast and is brewed using an espresso machine that forces water through a fine grind of the dark roasted coffee beans. To create about one fluid ounce (one shot) of espresso, about 4 tablespoons of water are forced through at high pressure and temperature through about 1/2 a tablespoon of ground beans.

For brewed coffee, it's recommended to use 2 tablespoons of ground coffee per cup of water (16 tablespoons). So basically the same ratio of 1:8, coffee to water. Because of the same ratio of coffee to water, and if using the same roast of bean, the caffeine amount comes out to about the same per serving size give or take - usually in the neighborhood of 100 mg for 2 ounces of espresso versus 8 ounces of brewed coffee. However, from what I've read, smaller concentrated doses of caffeine are absorbed faster into the body than larger doses - so perhaps that's why it seems to have a larger kick to many people. Plus people trend to drink espresso shots very quickly while others tend to sip at larger cups of coffee.

Everyone is different and has different taste palates so it's important for you to try different methods and different roasts to find the perfect one for you.

[MTI]

Another vote for the french press. My complaint about most "coffee makers" is that the water temperature is inconsistent, take up too much counter space and they are hard to keep clean, both the water tank and the drip section. I have never seen a drip coffee maker produce the crema that the simplest press can produce.

[fairyliquidizer]

I have always used my Italian coffee maker when making for me


http://www.bialetti.it/files/catalogue/images/categories/large/24.jpg

and cafetiere when making coffee for guests.

http://www.boswells-online.co.uk/mall/Boswells/customerimages/products/20000934.jpg

I've never heard of a French Press is that the American name for the cafetiere.

Posted from a bed in Scotland. A long way from Tim Hortons donuts.

[killerrobot]

I have always used my Italian coffee maker when making for me

I've never heard of a French Press is that the American name for the cafetiere.

Yes a French Press is a cafetiere. Us Americans call it a French press instead of using the French word, much like you Brits call it an Italian coffee maker instead of using the Italian - caffettiera. ;)

[bob2131]

Yes a French Press is a cafetiere. Us Americans call it a French press instead of using the French word, much like you Brits call it an Italian coffee maker instead of using the Italian - caffettiera. ;)

so

- french press
- cafetiere
- italian coffee maker or caffatteira

are all exactly the same thing????

[MTI]

Language, what a wonderful thing. We should all get together with our cups of coffee and discuss the differences between a biscuit and a cookie, chips and fries/frittes and crisps. :D

[covisio]

I have always used my Italian coffee maker when making for me

That's the one coffee maker I've never tried/owned. I'd really like to get one.

I have my preferred cafetieres and I'd never be without them
I also have a Philips filter machine (is that what people are referring to as 'drip coffee' on this thread?) which is good for making large quantities such as when having guests for dinner. You can just set it going and leave it while you 'entertain'
I have a single cup filter thing which I use occasionally if I can only get pre-ground coffee such as decaf
I have a cheap Kenwood espresso machine. Waste of time, doesn't produce a crema, takes up too much space and is a pain to clean. It's in the cupboard and I haven't used it for about two or three years (ebay beckons)
I'm also quite fond of the standard paper Melitta-type filter kits, the type you always get in your holiday apartments in the Med. Maybe it's the holiday atmosphere but they always seem to make good coffee

However, I've never tried the traditional Italian type - is that called a percolator? Gonna have to get one of those.

[killerrobot]

so

- french press
- cafetiere
- italian coffee maker or caffatteira

are all exactly the same thing????

French press = cafetiere
Italian coffee maker = caffetiera
but a French press ≠ an Italian coffee maker

They all make coffee but as covisio just pointed out ^^^^^
the Italian coffee maker is a percolator, which means water boils in a bottom chamber, the steam rises through the coffee grind and extracts the flavors, then it condenses in the upper chamber as coffee.

Pretty damn cool invention when you think about it.

[bob2131]

Bodum makes a single cup French press "insert": it's basically a French press without the little carafe, you just stick the thing in your coffee mug, let it brew for 4 minutes, push the plunger, and pull the insert out of the mug, leaving you with a nice mug o'coffee.


this one?
http://www.bodum.com/b2c/index.asp?shpId=4&famid=10&famSubId=1001&id=10377-16
bodum bistro mug press?

[bob2131]

BODUM website (http://www.bodum.com/b2c/index.asp?shpId=4&famId=10&famSubId=1001)doesnt really explain much with alot of their products:

Can someone please explain what these are....well, the difference....:

- Brazil (simple affordable press)
- Bistro Nouveau
- Kenya
- Crema
- Shin Bistro
- Filtre Belgique Set


i think ive narrowed it down to brazil.....bistro nouveau...... kenya........crema.....are all these exactly the same? and they just look different with different "names"? they are all french presses, right?

[zami]

I have always used my Italian coffee maker when making for me


http://www.bialetti.it/files/catalogue/images/categories/large/24.jpg

and cafetiere when making coffee for guests.

http://www.boswells-online.co.uk/mall/Boswells/customerimages/products/20000934.jpg

I've never heard of a French Press is that the American name for the cafetiere.

Posted from a bed in Scotland. A long way from Tim Hortons donuts.


Anything more expensive than the Bialetti coffee maker or a cheap copy thereof is a total waste of money and pain in the neck to clean.

As for the much vaunted quality of Indonesian coffee I never encountered it there. Indonesian tea is lovely though.

[killerrobot]

Can someone please explain what these are....well, the difference....:
- Brazil
- Bistro Nouveau
- Kenya
- Crema
- Shin Bistro

All of these above are French Presses (Cafetieres) - the two differences are the design and amount of cups/ounces each can hold.


- Filtre Belgique Set
This is actually a single cup drip brewer. You put the grind in the top and add hot water. The water saturates the grind and eventually drips into the cup.

[bob2131]

-


- Filtre Belgique Set
This is actually a single cup drip brewer. You put the grind in the top and add hot water. The water saturates the grind and eventually drips into the cup.

thanks.

the filtre set thing...... so i can use ground coffee yeah?

the water will instantly start pouring though the filter? or do i controll how long i want to brew it for??

[Surely]

bob..... I think you've squeezed this thread for as much as it's going to give you. :o

Just thought I'd tell everyone that this thread inspired me to buy a Bodum French Press and to retire my Mr. Coffee (the warmer was starting to rust anyway, and only after 1.5 years of use. WTH is that?). I bought the 8 cup press at Starbucks, because a friend of mine works there and he used his employee discount of 30% for me. Ah the perks..... I get free drinks there all the time too.

This one, actually:
http://www.boswells-online.co.uk/mall/Boswells/customerimages/products/20000934.jpg

I made my first cup this morning with it...... now this is how coffee is supposed to taste. It took around the same amount of time to make as well, with only a couple of quick extra steps involved.

Back to my coffee and another sunny day in LA.

[bob2131]

"Surely", no this thread can def be squeezed for more.

Sorry to all those who i have not responded to yet.
I plan to re-read the last few pages and discuss further in due time.

Bought a Bodum french press last week. Online.
today they said "Your order left our warehouse in Denmark on Thursday 2.7.09, so delivery will be the early part of next week at the latest via Royal mail"...

Can you believe that?!?!?!?! two weeks to deliver. From denmark to UK.
I wish i would have got off ebay. Hate this waiting period. the online shop was even on the UK section..grr

[LizKat]

bob..... I think you've squeezed this thread for as much as it's going to give you. :o ~snip~

Hell we haven't even got to the part about boiling water and coffee in a pot over a campfire and throwing eggshells in to settle the grounds.

Some claim this method is bogus, but it's just that it only works if you are wearing a cowboy hat and there are a few thousand tons of hamburger on the hoof snacking on range grasses in the background.

I like this thread but ever since I spotted it, I have become superstitious, fearing that today will be the day I break the glass :eek: in my Bodum press. I think I have had it for 14 years now. :)

[covisio]

Hell we haven't even got to the part about boiling water and coffee in a pot over a campfire and throwing eggshells in to settle the grounds.
I was wondering when somebody was going to mention that.:cool:

[Surely]

Hell we haven't even got to the part about boiling water and coffee in a pot over a campfire and throwing eggshells in to settle the grounds.

Some claim this method is bogus, but it's just that it only works if you are wearing a cowboy hat and there are a few thousand tons of hamburger on the hoof snacking on range grasses in the background.

I like this thread but ever since I spotted it, I have become superstitious, fearing that today will be the day I break the glass :eek: in my Bodum press. I think I have had it for 14 years now. :)

Careful...... don't drop it..... eeeeeeasy......


Why would you have to boil the water and the grounds at the same time? Why would the process be any different than when preparing coffee with the French Press? (boil water, add to grounds, let steep for a few minutes, pour)

[LizKat]

I don't know, i am not a cowboy. :) Probably just simplest to throw all ingredients for something into the pot at once and set it on the fire. It's the same way everything got cooked out on the grassranges, to hear people tell it.

[Shaun.P]

As soon as I hit this bit I remembered back to an old thread ;) http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=654507

Just an observation is all.

But on topic we have a Senseo, though I rarely ever drink coffee (used to when I worked at a pub). But I think I'm sensitive to caffeine so I don't have it often at all.

Don't you drink a ridiculous amount of Coke? :p

[Fizzoid]

£5.99 form TK Maxx, you could be having coffee right now! :rolleyes:

[Guiyon]

I usually make up batched of cold-brewed coffee during the summer; amazing stuff but takes a bit more time an effort. First, get a decent sized jug (I usually use empty gallon milk jugs) and a course ground dark roast. Next make a mix using a 4:1 water to coffee ratio and stash it in a fridge for 12-24 hours, shaking every couple of hours. At the end of this period you will have a nice batch of coffee concentrate. Just filter this using either a gold permanent or paper filter (gold will allow more oils through but miss more of the grit where a paper will catch more grit but also remove more of the oils) and dilute with water/milk/etc to taste.

[LizKat]

Yeah, see that's a filtered version of cowboy coffee, only lacks the fire under the pot and the cows in the background. And, well, the eggshells, but they're optional, considering the filter.

[Surely]

I usually make up batched of cold-brewed coffee during the summer; amazing stuff but takes a bit more time an effort. First, get a decent sized jug (I usually use empty gallon milk jugs) and a course ground dark roast. Next make a mix using a 4:1 water to coffee ratio and stash it in a fridge for 12-24 hours, shaking every couple of hours. At the end of this period you will have a nice batch of coffee concentrate. Just filter this using either a gold permanent or paper filter (gold will allow more oils through but miss more of the grit where a paper will catch more grit but also remove more of the oils) and dilute with water/milk/etc to taste.

That's a lot of effort.

I make iced coffee as well, but I just brew it with my coffee maker (now with the French Press) a little stronger than how I normally make my coffee, put it in the fridge, and within 2 hours, it's cold enough to drink.

Try it that way, it probably tastes the same and takes a fraction of the time.

[Guiyon]

That's a lot of effort.

I make iced coffee as well, but I just brew it with my coffee maker (now with the French Press) a little stronger than how I normally make my coffee, put it in the fridge, and within 2 hours, it's cold enough to drink.

Try it that way, it probably tastes the same and takes a fraction of the time.

I was a CS graduate student; I've tried nearly every method of brewing coffee imaginable :). Your method is great for quick iced coffee but, if I have the time, I prefer the taste of the cold-brewed method. Plus a single batch can last me a good week (assuming I keep it cold and away from sunlight).

[bob2131]

finally got my bodum press.
been using carte noir or summat like that... (its says for french press machines on the package)

its ok this method..... bodum guide says to use corse ground coffee only.
But the coffee in asda does not say which is course.. or not....

but ive noticed at the bottom of my cup of coffee....theres still some coffee bits that did not get filtered with the bodum filter.........this is not good is it??

it really is just ONE cup this version! not one and half even...

and the bodum is made of thin glass...feels very fragile.... could easily crack washing up or you slip it.... or with spoon....etc..... damn its fragile..... i even think its gonna crack when i put the HOT almost boiling water into it....
HOT water CAN crack the glass, right?

[bob2131]

Strength of caffeine depends on the roast:

The lighter the roast, the MORE caffeine there is in the coffee.

The darker the roast, the LESS caffeine there is in the coffee.

Yes, I know that seems backwards to most people, but it's true. The reason is simple: The longer the coffee beans are roasted, the more caffeine is burned off of the beans.

If you want a coffee with a higher caffeine content, drink lighter roast coffees.

The exception (I guess) is espresso. Espresso is high in caffeine because of the way it is, well, brewed. The espresso is ground very finely and packed tight into the filter area, and hot water is forced through it at high pressure. Because of this, the espresso shot that is pulled has a higher level of caffeine in it compared to if you were to brew the same coffee grinds in a normal drip brewer.

Of course, the more grinds that you put into the filter when you brew coffee, the stronger tasting it will be and, yes, it will have more caffeine in it as well.


lighter as in the colour is light brown? as compared to dark brown?

alot of the coffee we cant see through the packaging....

so whether you put lighter roast coffee one spoon or loads of dark roast coffee....is the same..... both methods give you loads of caffiene, right?

[anjinha]

What about Nespresso (http://www.nespresso.com/precom/home_uk_en.html?)? I'm not really a coffee drinker but I know that Nespresso is pretty popular in Portugal and Italy, where people are pretty picky about coffee. It's also as easy as it gets.

[weckart]

Yes a French Press is a cafetiere. Us Americans call it a French press instead of using the French word, much like you Brits call it an Italian coffee maker instead of using the Italian - caffettiera. ;)

Actually, we Britons call it by its proper name, a coffee percolator. The Italian examples illustrated in this thread are purely for brewing espresso (aka very bad coffee) as you will obtain barely a mouthful from them. UK percolators are larger. We had an old electric model dating from the 1960s that would make a pint of coffee. It looked something like this:

http://www.coffeefun.com/images/pictures/cuisinart-12-cup-coffee-percolator.jpg

Hats off to the OP. His troll post has lasted 6 pages of mostly equally silly replies.

[LizKat]

~snip~

and the bodum is made of thin glass...feels very fragile.... could easily crack washing up or you slip it.... or with spoon....etc..... damn its fragile..... i even think its gonna crack when i put the HOT almost boiling water into it....
HOT water CAN crack the glass, right?

Been using mine for 14 years without mishap. The water is just below boiling when I pour it in. I am careful not to have a cold breeze blowing on it from open window or door, otherwise not to worry, and in winter I am often enough pouring the water when the ambient temperature is only 50ºF or so. I clean the glass using a plastic-bristled brush, stir the coffee with the spoon that came with my Bodum, just a long plastic stem with small flat spoon shape at the end.

[iPhoneNYC]

Just got back from the famed Fairway market in NYC. They sell hundreds/thousands of pounds of coffee a week. It is roasted fresh there. I bought my usual mix of 2/3 Scandinavian and 1/3 French roast. Ground for Melitta and I have enough to last for one week where I will repeat this process. I still believe Melitta is the simplest, easiest to control process for excellent coffee.

[bob2131]

"Hats off to the OP. His troll post has lasted 6 pages of mostly equally silly replies."

lol :D

im enjoying my bodum french press.
Im drinking more coffee now.
Never going back to instant cofffee again.

This thread can keep on going. great stuff everyone.

ps. not much choice in UK supermarkets for ground coffee.
Ive tried carte noir....dowe egberts... not much else there...apart from own brands..... dowe egberts was strength number 5 but i didnt feel it was any diff from the normal no3 stuff...dont konw if they mean taste is stronger or the caffeinne.......im trying to find lighter roast coffee but cant....

[LizKat]

Just got back from the famed Fairway market in NYC. They sell hundreds/thousands of pounds of coffee a week. It is roasted fresh there. I bought my usual mix of 2/3 Scandinavian and 1/3 French roast. Ground for Melitta and I have enough to last for one week where I will repeat this process. I still believe Melitta is the simplest, easiest to control process for excellent coffee.

yes i too really like the melitta one-cup for a fast go and i am so ticked at my supermarket right now, for months they have the filters but not the holder and i broke the holder setting a crate of wood down on it one day by mistake.

mmm... . fairway... i do still miss the city sometimes... but I don't like to make a run down there during the summer. Too much fog on the way home, usually. Gotta wait until October.

[Fizzoid]

"
ps. not much choice in UK supermarkets for ground coffee.
Ive tried carte noir....dowe egberts... not much else there...apart from own brands..... dowe egberts was strength number 5 but i didnt feel it was any diff from the normal no3 stuff...dont konw if they mean taste is stronger or the caffeinne.......im trying to find lighter roast coffee but cant.... Try www.hasbean.co.uk

[Nickygoat]

Try www.hasbean.co.uk

I'll second that; Steve is very good.

OP wanted a video on how to use a cafetiere properly?

Try this, from James at Square Mile, who really knows what he's talking about:

http://www.squaremileblog.com/2008/11/12/videocast-2-french-press-technique/

[covisio]

not much choice in UK supermarkets for ground coffee.
****** me, which supermarkets do you go to? The average Sainsburys has about 30 or 40 different varieties of ground coffee, including their own brands which are very good. You're not trying hard enough. Beans, yes, there's not a lot of choice in the supermarkets, but then any high street Twinings will provide a wide variety of beans. After that, you can start to seek out the specialists.

[bob2131]

****** me, which supermarkets do you go to? The average Sainsburys has about 30 or 40 different varieties of ground coffee, including their own brands which are very good. You're not trying hard enough. Beans, yes, there's not a lot of choice in the supermarkets, but then any high street Twinings will provide a wide variety of beans. After that, you can start to seek out the specialists.

dude ive been a few times and had a thorough browse, asda and tesco.
The choices are disappointing.
30 or 40? no way...
Im off to asda or tesco tonight.
theres only about 4 or 5 choices.

[stridemat]

Nescafe instant
1.5 teaspoons of coffee
add a splash of milk and stir
add boiling water
1 sugar

all in my 2 pint mug

student heaven :)

[Surely]

Nescafe instant
1.5 teaspoons of coffee
add a splash of milk and stir
add boiling water
1 sugar

all in my 2 pint mug

student heaven :)

I went to a restaurant/cafe called Aroma Cafe on Sunset Blvd. on Saturday night for coffee and dessert (it was a nice, happening place- I recommend checking it out). They had all the usual coffee drinks, from drip coffee to specialty coffees. I was shocked to see Nes Cafe on the menu. I wouldn't think that people would actually want to order that in a restaurant. Here's a screenshot of that part of the menu:

[stridemat]

I wish I could, unfortunately Im in the UK where the main coffee shops are Starbucks and Costa. Neither of them take my fancy as they use very bitter beans. Anyone suggest a proper coffee (which is not instant) that is not to bitter?

[bob2131]

I went to a restaurant/cafe called Aroma Cafe on Sunset Blvd. on Saturday night for coffee and dessert (it was a nice, happening place- I recommend checking it out). They had all the usual coffee drinks, from drip coffee to specialty coffees. I was shocked to see Nes Cafe on the menu. I wouldn't think that people would actually want to order that in a restaurant. Here's a screenshot of that part of the menu:

nescafe? thats just WRONG. I would laugh at them.
only in america eh...

[Surely]

I wish I could, unfortunately Im in the UK where the main coffee shops are Starbucks and Costa. Neither of them take my fancy as they use very bitter beans. Anyone suggest a proper coffee (which is not instant) that is not to bitter?

Not all Starbucks beans are bitter. I've been buying the medium roast Guatemala Antigua for the past while. I too am not a fan of bitter beans, but I quite like these.

nescafe? thats just WRONG. I would laugh at them.
only in america eh...

Well, that's not a common thing to see on a menu in this country (or Canada). I think that it's on the menu there because it's a popular way to drink coffee in Israel/the Middle East. Aroma Cafe is an Israeli restaurant (I only had dessert there, but the food looks really good).

[bob2131]

bodum one cup press....great.
but when i want two cups, i have to make again.
so bought a bigger bodum.
But when i finish the first cup, and pour the second..... its not too hot, have to microwave it...... only if i down the first cup fast will i be ok for second..but thats too rushed....

just my experience.

[Fizzoid]

And you posted that at 3:29am? Think you need to lay off the caffeine a bit :)

[kwk1]

bodum one cup press....great.
but when i want two cups, i have to make again.
so bought a bigger bodum.
But when i finish the first cup, and pour the second..... its not too hot, have to microwave it...... only if i down the first cup fast will i be ok for second..but thats too rushed....

just my experience.

Pour it in a carafe (insulated thermos) and it'll stay hot and fresh.

[RedTomato]

Pour it in a carafe (insulated thermos) and it'll stay hot and fresh.

Or pour boiling water in the Bodrum, leave / swish around for a bit, to heat up the glass, empty out, then put the coffee in.

this will mean the coffee stays hot longer because you have preheated the bodrum before pouring in the water for making coffee.

You can also pre-heat your coffee cup for the second coffee by pouring hot water in the cup and leaving for a bit, before emptying it and putting coffee in.

Or if you have a metal bodrum cage, not a plastic cage, put the bodrum over a tea light candle / food warmer thingy while you are drinking your first coffee. Will make the bottom of the glass a bit smoky.

Hope that helps.

[Jason Beck]

I just discovered I like Nilla Wafers with my coffee. mmm.

[bob2131]

thermos = thats way too much washing up involved.

redtomato= thanks.
smart suggestions!
I think the one cup bodum is more suited.
As when i use the bigger one, i RUSH my first coffee, racing to get the other while it stays hot...not ideal, as its all rushed.
One cup is fine.
But nice tricks, ill keep those in mind. :):D:)

[bob2131]

i would also go so far as saying, coffee tastes/feels better in UK. For me.

when i was in america, it just wasnt the same.

Waking up in UK, in cold miserable freezing weather, sluggish...etc... this is the right environment to truely enjoy a coffee. :D:)

or maybe coffee jsut feels the bset at HOME, the way we make it.....as compared to on holiday, its all diff.
(sorry i cant explain or write in proper sentences, im really tired right now)

cold weather + coffe = mmm
hot weather + coffee = just ok

[SchneiderMan]

In order to make designs in the creamy cream, you need to use fat milk or cream right?

http://netdna.webdesignerdepot.com/uploads/coffee_designs/36.jpg

The only coffee place i know that makes these designs and great coffee is in Beverly Hills..

[SchneiderMan]

I went to a restaurant/cafe called Aroma Cafe on Sunset Blvd. on Saturday night for coffee and dessert (it was a nice, happening place- I recommend checking it out). They had all the usual coffee drinks, from drip coffee to specialty coffees. I was shocked to see Nes Cafe on the menu. I wouldn't think that people would actually want to order that in a restaurant. Here's a screenshot of that part of the menu:

It's because Nes is very common in Israel. I also recommend Aroma.

[Silencio]

nescafe? thats just WRONG. I would laugh at them.
only in america eh...

That's funny, because Nescafé's jingle used to go, "If Nescafé can please the whole wide world, it can sure please you." So don't go blaming America for it: in fact, it seems the whole wide world foisted Nescafé on America! :D

Weckart: a French press and a Percolator couldn't be any more different. :rolleyes:

SchneiderMan: foam designs are not uncommon at all. Sure, you probably won't get them in your latté from McDonalds, but most baristas at the better independent cafés can and do make them. I can name well over a dozen cafés in San Francisco alone that do them. Not too dissimilar to a barman making a little cloverleaf on the top of a head of draught Guinness.

[SchneiderMan]

That's funny, because Nescafé's jingle used to go, "If Nescafé can please the whole wide world, it can sure please you." So don't go blaming America for it: in fact, it seems the whole wide world foisted Nescafé on America! :D

Weckart: a French press and a Percolator couldn't be any more different. :rolleyes:

SchneiderMan: foam designs are not uncommon at all. Sure, you probably won't get them in your latté from McDonalds, but most baristas at the better independent cafés can and do make them. I can name well over a dozen cafés in San Francisco alone that do them. Not too dissimilar to a barman making a little cloverleaf on the top of a head of draught Guinness.

Yes ive been to the Italian part in SF, and they make great coffees there. But my question do they use fat milk or cream?

[gauchogolfer]

Yes ive been to the Italian part in SF, and they make great coffees there. But my question do they use fat milk or cream?

Great microfoam can be made from any kind of milk, though I prefer whole milk (4% here in the US). Cream actually doesn't work so well. Fat-free milk can steam up very large, light foam, while fattier milk tends to lend a denser foam, which I prefer.

[Ugg]

bodum one cup press....great.
but when i want two cups, i have to make again.
so bought a bigger bodum.
But when i finish the first cup, and pour the second..... its not too hot, have to microwave it...... only if i down the first cup fast will i be ok for second..but thats too rushed....

just my experience.

I take a tea towel and wrap it around the press and it's amazing at how much heat it traps. I wish you could buy a "coffee cozy" for a bodum press, I have wayyyyy too many coffee stained towels...

[bob2131]

I take a tea towel and wrap it around the press and it's amazing at how much heat it traps. I wish you could buy a "coffee cozy" for a bodum press, I have wayyyyy too many coffee stained towels...

lol

i may try this.

hey, ive just discovered, you can unscrew the bodum filter thing to clean it.
i always assumed it was not open-able.

DAMN, MY BODUM HAS always had a coupla spring thingies loose, so when you try to wash the net/filter thing, you get stung, thats annoying. thats a fault in the manufacturing.

full fat milk is best, makes it more milky/colourful with LESS.
semi skimmed = have to put MORE in to neutralise the colour = makes the coffee less hot.

how long do you guys let the bodum/press brew for?
guide says 4 mins. i rarely can wait that long.
i wait 2 to 3 mins.
i dont think it makes too much diff.

[bob2131]

new discovery/technique!!

get the total amount of milk you will use for coffee, put in a nice microwavable pourer/dish thing, microwave for 40secs, milk is warm.

use it for coffee = the coffee is hotter for longer.

compare to using COLD milk, coffee is too cold to drink almost instantly. ..

:):):):):):):):):)

mmm

[Surely]

new discovery/technique!!

get the total amount of milk you will use for coffee, put in a nice microwavable pourer/dish thing, microwave for 40secs, milk is warm.

use it for coffee = the coffee is hotter for longer.

compare to using COLD milk, coffee is too cold to drink almost instantly. ..

:):):):):):):):):)

mmm

It depends on how much milk you use.

My wife does that, but she uses 2/3 milk and 1/3 coffee.

I barely use any milk, so my coffee is still boiling hot even after I put cold milk in it.

[bob2131]

the milk is colder in the uk mate ;):)


2/3 milk is a bit over the top. might as well drink raw milk.
and just a touch of milk? might as well not put any in.....you can only taste it when theres a clear colour change of coffee.
actaully i dont even know if i can taste teh milk......i think i only put the milk in for the colouring/look/aesthetics.

[kwk1]

the milk is colder in the uk mate ;):)


2/3 milk is a bit over the top. might as well drink raw milk.
and just a touch of milk? might as well not put any in.....you can only taste it when theres a clear colour change of coffee.
actaully i dont even know if i can taste teh milk......i think i only put the milk in for the colouring/look/aesthetics.

LOL! Any amount of milk is a no-no!
Half and half only, mate!

[elfxmilhouse]

im a big fan of the french press.

i know it takes a long time to set up and clean but its the only way i can get good coffee at home without having to buy an expensive machine.

[richard.mac]

French Press is great it makes a smooth coffee and still has a big kick. i recommend a stove pot 'Moka' for coffee as well, it takes a little setting up and cleaning just like the press, but makes more of a full bodied espresso, of course with the big kick as well. hints:

- use spring water
- espresso ground coffee
- heap the funnel filter and level out, dont tamper
- medium heat until it gargles
- dont clean with soap, just hot water
- only maintenance is to replace the gasket once in a while

[Surely]

the milk is colder in the uk mate ;):)


2/3 milk is a bit over the top. might as well drink raw milk.
and just a touch of milk? might as well not put any in.....you can only taste it when theres a clear colour change of coffee.
actaully i dont even know if i can taste teh milk......i think i only put the milk in for the colouring/look/aesthetics.

It's pretty much a cafe au lait (or Cafe Misto for all you Starbucks customers) that she makes. She's more concerned with getting the calcium from the milk- the coffee is in there to give her a little caffeine boost in the morning while she's working. Besides, she's pregnant, so she's limiting her coffee intake.

I don't use a touch of milk- I usually leave around 1 cm of room for my 2% milk. I can taste the milk.

LOL! Any amount of milk is a no-no!
Half and half only, mate!

I just can't do half and half anymore. It makes the coffee too think. I used to get a large double double at Time Hortons (double cream, double sugar), but then switched to double milk (2%) double sugar.

im a big fan of the french press.

i know it takes a long time to set up and clean but its the only way i can get good coffee at home without having to buy an expensive machine.

I only use a french press. It makes such good coffee, I just can't go back to a machine.

[bob2131]

congrats surely.

half and half sounds like a coffeemate type product.
i need to re read this whole thread, my current questions have probably been answered!!! lol

this thread needs to be printed and documented, for my future reference.

good looking out people.
i salute you all.

:):):):):):):)

just bought a taylors bag of ground coffee, its strength number 6, the highest, called hot lava java or summat, says its a darker dark roast....it says high caffeine content on front...... well see about that when i wake up and open that bad boy up....

just done some back reading.... coupla of ya said darker the roast, the less caffiene is in there.
so how come this taylors extra strong coffee is saying its dark dark roast and claiming its strength 6 the max poss on their scale. shouldnt it be light light roast if its so strong?

[kwk1]

congrats surely.

half and half sounds like a coffeemate type product.
i need to re read this whole thread, my current questions have probably been answered!!! lol

this thread needs to be printed and documented, for my future reference.

good looking out people.
i salute you all.

:):):):):):):)

just bought a taylors bag of ground coffee, its strength number 6, the highest, called hot lava java or summat, says its a darker dark roast....it says high caffeine content on front...... well see about that when i wake up and open that bad boy up....

Actually, it's the exact opposite of Coffeemate. It's cream with a certain amount of butterfat content. It gives coffee that wonderful golden color that nothing else can. If I run out of half and half cream, I drink my coffee black. Milk for me ruins the taste.



Types of Creams

Different grades of cream are distinguished by their fat content, whether they have been heat-treated, whipped, etc. In many jurisdictions there are regulations for each type.


In the United Kingdom, the types of cream are legally defined[2] as follows:

Name Minimum
milk fat Additional definition Main uses
Clotted cream 55% and heat treated Served as it is with scones, jam, stargazy pie, etc.
Double cream 48% Whips the easiest and thickest for puddings and desserts, can be piped
Whipping cream 35% Whips well but lighter, can be piped - just
Whipped cream 35% and has been whipped Decorations on cakes.
Sterilized cream 23% is sterilized
Cream or single cream 18% is not sterilized Poured over puddings, used in coffee
Sterilized half cream 12% is sterilized
Half cream 12% is not sterilized Used in coffee, some cocktails

United States
In the United States, cream is usually sold as:

Half and half (10.5–18% fat)
Light, coffee, or table cream (18–30% fat)
Medium cream (25% fat)
Whipping or light whipping cream (30–36% fat)
Heavy whipping cream (36% or more)
Extra-heavy, double, or manufacturer's cream (38–40% or more), generally not available at retail except at some warehouse and specialty stores.
Not all grades are defined by all jurisdictions, and the exact fat content ranges vary. The above figures are based on the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Part 131[3][4] and a small sample of state regulations.

[edit] Australia
In Australia, levels of fat in cream are not regulated, therefore labels are only under the control of the manufacturers. A general guideline is as follows:

Extra light (or ‘lite’): 12–12.5% fat.

Light (or ‘lite’): 18–20% fat.

Pure cream: 35–56% fat, without artificial thickeners.

Thickened cream: 35–36.5% fat, with added gelatine and/or other thickeners to give the cream a creamier texture, also possibly with stabilisers to aid the consistency of whipped cream (this would be the cream to use for whipped cream, not necessarily for cooking)

Single cream: Recipes calling for ‘single cream’ are referring to pure or thickened cream with about 35% fat.

Double cream: 48–60% fat.[5]

[Surely]

congrats surely.

just bought a taylors bag of ground coffee, its strength number 6, the highest, called hot lava java or summat, says its a darker dark roast....it says high caffeine content on front...... well see about that when i wake up and open that bad boy up....

just done some back reading.... coupla of ya said darker the roast, the less caffiene is in there.
so how come this taylors extra strong coffee is saying its dark dark roast and claiming its strength 6 the max poss on their scale. shouldnt it be light light roast if its so strong?

Thanks bob2131. :cool:

Yes, the lighter the roast, the stronger the caffeine content.

The longer coffee beans are roasted, the more caffeine is burnt off.

Maybe the strength #6 is referring to the taste- it's the strongest taste, not the strongest caffeine content.